Key Points
Surplus energy in electric vehicles (EVs) can be sold back to the grid instead of being stored, and this could be used to power millions of households when they need it most, which makes particular sense amid a global energy crisis..
This kind of technology already exists: Bidirectional chargers allow users to store cheap off-peak or solar-generated electricity in a vehicle battery and then export it to the grid or directly into a home during the hours when electricity costs the most..
This is aimed at self-sufficiency, and people can save on buying electricity from the grid, says Markus Kramis, CEO of EVTEC, a Swiss company that builds bidirectional charging stations..
In 2020, EVTEC installed five charging stations outside Islington Town Hall in London, and the company will launch another trial with Swiss car-sharing provider Mobility later this year using 50 Honda electric cars..
The biggest sticking point, however, remains the high installation costs for bidirectional chargers, says John Murray, head of EVs at the energy consultancy Delta-EEeven though prices have dropped by up to 50 percent in the last two to three years..
