By
January 18, 2023
Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly transforming the transportation industry with a market value reaching $411 billion. While EVs offer several benefits as a greener and cheaper alternative to fuel and gas vehicles, they also pose certain challenges. A large obstacle of EV operations is the reliability of charging from the electric grid.
Bidirectional EV charging, also known as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging, provides a solution to this challenge by enabling EVs to not only charge from the grid but to send power back to it. This technology thus has the potential to completely revolutionize the way we use EVs.
Bidirectional EV charging is a connection between the electric grid and electric vehicle that allows energy to flow both ways. It allows electric vehicles to return power back to the grid when necessary in addition to the normal functionality of drawing power from it. This enables the vehicle to act as a distributed energy resource.
In traditional EV charging, there is a one-way power supply — the electric vehicle draws power from the grid. In bidirectional charging, the EV is equipped with an inverter that enables it to also discharge energy. This means that the EV can draw power and send power back to the energy grid.
This is extremely useful when there is a high demand for energy or when there is a shortage of power. It can also help balance the grid and reduce the necessity for peaker power plants.
Since bidirectional technology is still in its early stages of development, it’s uncommon and not all EVs are equipped with bidirectional charging capabilities.
Bidirectional EV charging is extremely advantageous as it can be used in different ways:
Bidirectional and smart charging are distinct but closely related concepts concerning electric vehicle charging.
Bidirectional charging refers to the ability of an EV to charge and discharge power from the electric grid by drawing and returning power to it. Essentially, it allows the EV to act as a distributed energy source with the help of an inverter.
In contrast, smart charging refers to the optimization of EV charging based on various factors such as grid conditions, charging during off-peak hours to avoid surcharge pricing, and the car battery’s state of charge (SOC). Smart charging systems minimize the cost of charging and reduce the impact on the grid by automatically adjusting the EV’s charging based on these factors.
Smart charging systems use advanced algorithms and communication technologies for a more optimized charging management system.
Bidirectional EV charging can seem like a complicated technology, but that isn’t necessarily the case.
The basic components of a bidirectional EV charging system include:
Once the EV is connected to a bidirectional charging station, the energy management system checks the state of the grid. If the grid is experiencing high demand and short supply, the energy management system will discharge energy from the EV’s battery and direct it toward the grid to help balance supply and demand. If the grid has a surplus of energy, the system will charge the EV’s battery.
The energy management system will also take into account the EV’s charging schedule, electricity costs at different times of the day, and the EV battery’s state of charge. It will then optimize the charging process in a way that reduces charging costs and the load on the grid.
Bidirectional charging is a relatively new technology so we have yet to witness its large-scale implementation. However, there are promising initiatives that could encourage faster adoption:
With all these developments, who knows? We may see widespread bidirectional EV charging sooner than we think.
Bidirectional EV charging systems can be extremely helpful in optimizing EV charging, reducing costs, making renewable energy sources more efficient, and reducing the impact on the grid.
Ampcontrol’s energy management software is crucial for ensuring that you reap all the benefits that bidirectional EV charging offers. It is reliable, easy to use, and feature-rich. With it, you can accurately oversee and manage your charging stations in real time, take advantage of dynamic load sharing, optimize energy costs, and more.
Visit Ampcontrol’s website or request a demo to learn more.
Ampcontrol is a cloud-based software that seamlessly connects to charging networks, vehicles, fleet systems, and other software systems. No hardware needed, just a one-time integration.