Introduction
Power safety shutdowns have left millions of Californians without energy to lower the state’s danger of wildfires. Many owners of electric vehicles (EVs) have been annoyed by their inability to use the electricity in their car batteries to power their houses or other important loads. Their EV batteries could store energy, but since they could only use the electricity to run their car, they could not benefit from bidirectional EV charging.
A growing number of electric vehicle (EV) owners can power heavy loads with their cars or by purchasing a wall box unit. Bidirectional charging systems have several benefits for both residential and commercial utility companies. To respond to questions from potential solar customers, one must be well-versed in the functioning of bidirectional chargers. Bidirectional electric car charging is an excellent approach to supply emergency power during a blackout without requiring batteries.
Bidirectional charging is very popular these days, and this trend will only grow as EVs become more capable. Consequently, several automakers have announced that they will supply automobiles with bidirectional capability, including Ford, Hyundai, Lucid, and Tesla.
Bidirectional EV charging: What Is It?
As the name suggests, bidirectional EV charging charges the battery and supplies electricity to other loads as needed by utilizing both the grid and the battery. An EV can help power a home, company, utility grid, other vehicle, or specific loads by utilizing bidirectional charging.
Now that the Nissan Leaf can charge in both directions, using this electricity for residential requirements requires setting up a power supply center inside the house.
The Ford 150 Lightning can provide 9.6 kW of power to a home’s electrical system for a few days. This arrangement requires Ford’s Charge Station Pro and a 100-amp circuit. Furthermore, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6 have a power output of 3.6 kW.
How does it function?
A bidirectional EV charger is an advanced EV charger that can charge in both directions, as opposed to conventional unidirectional EV chargers that use AC power. Even though it looks simple enough, there is a complicated process involved in converting power from AC (alternating current) to DC (direct current).
Unlike traditional EV chargers, bidirectional EV charging converts AC to DC while charging and the other way around when discharging, much like an inverter. However, bidirectional chargers are only compatible with vehicles that can be charged in both directions using DC power. Unfortunately, there are currently very few EVs that have dual-directional charging capabilities; the most well-known example is the Nissan Leaf from later versions. Bidirectional chargers are also substantially more expensive than normal EV chargers because of their higher level of sophistication, which is achieved by using complex power conversion devices to control the energy flow to and from the automobile.
Beyond only powering a habitation, bidirectional EV chargers are equipped with technology that can manage loads and isolate a home from the grid during an outage, a procedure referred to as an island. The fundamental working principle of bidirectional EV chargers and bidirectional inverters, which have been used for backup power in home battery storage systems for more than 10 years, is extremely similar.
How Does Bidirectional EV Charging Work?
Alternating current (AC) power from the grid creates direct current (DC) voltage when the car is charging. Drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) can then use the energy stored in the battery to refuel the grid or power a dwelling. For this to happen, the electricity needs to be converted from DC to AC. Either the car’s converter or the charger itself does this.
One such product is the Wallbox Quasar, a home bidirectional DC charger. It features a CHAdeMO or CCS Type 1 connector in addition to an app with certain energy management features.
When accessible, V2G capabilities enable sustainable energy sources like solar and wind power to be used to charge the batteries of electric vehicles. Subsequently, the EV reduces greenhouse gas emissions by using its batteries to augment the grid’s power supply when not in use.
1. Vehicle to Home (V2H)
This technique allows an electric car to use its electrical panel to power a home or place of business; it’s especially helpful during a blackout. Additionally, homeowners who pay time-of-use rates could save money by using their EV battery during times of high energy demand and charging it during times of lower electricity rates.
The power control system of an EV with V2H capability must be connected to the home’s electrical distribution center for the house to receive electricity from the vehicle. After that, the car must be plugged into the charger to use electricity.
2. Vehicle To Load (V2L)
Vehicles with V2L capability come with an integrated DC-to-AC converter and a standard power outlet. By plugging in their loads, it enables customers to utilize the battery’s power. These features are found in EVs such as the Tesla Cybertruck, Hyundai Ioniq, Ford F150 Lightning, Kia EV6, and Rivian R1T.
3. Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V)
Unfortunately, EVs’ range limits how far they can go between recharging. The capacity of the EV battery, the efficiency of the car, and the ambient temperature all affect the range of the vehicle. V2V charging helps reduce range anxiety by enabling one EV to partially supply electricity to another.
What Benefits Can Bidirectional Charging Provide?
The ability to use the EV battery for other reasons can be very beneficial for utility companies and electric vehicle drivers alike. In actuality, EVs might contribute significantly to the grid’s decarbonization in the future.
1. Potential Energy Bill Savings
The price of power changes throughout the day based on demand if the local utility offers time-of-use rates. Over the summer, weekday afternoons and early evenings are when energy bills are highest and lowest, respectively, in the middle of the night. Therefore, using the grid or solar panels to deliver power during peak demand times and charging during off-peak hours is more economical.
2. Reserve Power for Outages
A few notable power outages have occurred in the last year or so, including the Texas Power Crisis in 2021 and the public safety power shutdowns in California that left millions of people without power. EVs with V2H capabilities can power an entire house during a utility outage. The capacity and state of charge of an electric vehicle’s (EV) battery determines how long and how many loads it can power a residence.
3. Not found in the Grid Energy
EVs with V2L capabilities can power specific loads by plugging into an outlet. If you’re camping or living somewhere without utility electricity, this can work out to be a good option. On construction sites, for instance, power tools can be used by artisans.
What Consequences Are There for Bidirectional EV Chargers?
While bidirectional EV charging offers many benefits, there are drawbacks as well. With more investigation, these obstacles can be addressed.
1. The Decline of EV Batteries:
Bidirectional EV charging involves repeated cycles of charge and discharge, which may shorten the total life of electric car batteries and hasten battery deterioration.
2. The Cost and intricacy:
Because it requires specific infrastructure and equipment, bidirectional EV charging increases the complexity and cost of both the electric car and the charging station.
3. Vehicles with Limited Interoperability:
All-electric vehicles can’t currently be charged in both directions using EVs. The fact that the technology is limited to compatible models of electric vehicles prevents it from being widely adopted.
4. Issues with Grid Stability:
Since vehicles that are charging in both directions can drain or return electricity at any time, the electric grid becomes more unpredictable. As a result, grid operators might find it challenging to maintain reliability and stability.
5. Concerns about Regulation and Standardization:
The absence of established standards and procedures for bidirectional charging could make it more difficult for different charging stations to communicate with one another and prevent the widespread use of electric vehicles.
6. Losses of Energy:
During the conversion and transfer process from the electric vehicle to the grid, energy is lost. When compared to unidirectional charging, this lowers the overall efficiency of bidirectional charging.
Which Electric Cars Are Dual-Charging Capable?
Bidirectional EV charging is only included in a tiny portion of EVs sold in the US; vehicle-to-grid charging is the most common. These vehicles have two-way charging installed:
Ford Lightning (V2H, V2V, and V2G versions)
- Genesis GV60 (V2L)
- V2L Hyundai Ioniq 5
- V2L Hyundai Ioniq 6
- Kia EV6 (V2L)
- Kia Niro (V2L)
- Air Lucid (V2V)
- The V2L Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
- Leaf from Nissan (V2H, V2G)
- V2L Tesla Cybertruck
- VW ID.4 (V2H)
FAQs about Dual-Way Power Supply
Continue reading to get the answers to some of the most common questions about EV two-way charging.
What benefits does bi-directional charging offer EV drivers?
Bidirectional charging provides electric car owners with power, converting their vehicles into flexible energy sources. In addition to standard charging, this technology enables owners to potentially make money by selling extra energy back to the grid. Because of bidirectional EV charging, electric cars can also momentarily powerhouses or other EVs during emergencies.
Do all-electric vehicles have bi-directional EV chargers installed?
No, not all-electric vehicles on the road now are equipped with bidirectional EV charging. Compatibility is determined by the car’s design and whether or not it has the necessary hardware and software for two-way energy transfer.
What issues do EV batteries encounter when charging in both directions?
Bidirectional charging may reduce the overall lifespan of batteries used in electric vehicles by speeding up battery degradation because it increases the frequency of charge and discharge cycles. An EV battery’s longevity will only be materially impacted by heavy, regular use; in other cases, battery degradation is insignificant.
Can bi-directional EV chargers take the place of solar batteries?
While electric automobiles can store excess energy for use at home thanks to bidirectional charging, solar batteries are still required in some circumstances. The primary battery used in bidirectional charging in vehicles may not have sufficient capacity for large-scale energy storage. Solar batteries are more suited for storing solar panel energy to create a consistent and reliable power source because they have a larger storage capacity due to their stationary design. Furthermore, EV drivers may be reluctant to completely drain their batteries during blackouts due to the possibility that it will limit their mobility.
What is true about bidirectional charging?
Bidirectional EV chargers allow power to flow in two directions, in contrast to standard EV charging systems, which only allow power to flow from a power source to the vehicle’s battery. Electric vehicles, permit energy transfer and receiving, enabling them to share power with other gadgets or even the utility grid.
The Clean Energy Sector Could Be Transformed by Two-Way Charging
The way energy is consumed could drastically change if electric vehicles can send excess energy to the grid, other cars, or homes. The dynamic and decentralized approach that is presented by the interaction between electric vehicles and the energy ecosystem has the potential to improve grid management efficiency, improve resilience in the event of an outage, and even use electric vehicles as distributed energy resources. All of these benefits will help to create a more sustainable and flexible energy landscape.
By transforming high-power DC from the fast-charging station into appropriate power levels for various battery chemistries, the DC-DC converter complies with fast-charging regulations. This aids in the VCU’s optimization of charging speed while upholding security.
The DC-DC converter helps the VCU by controlling and transforming electrical power, making sure that fast charging is handled correctly, safely, and without sacrificing the performance or safety of the vehicle.
Explore our advanced fast-charging VCU products and stay connected to cutting-edge EV software services. For more information or inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at info@dorleco.com. We look forward to serving you!