Bidirectional charging: which car brands offer this feature?
More and more people are asking: which car can charge bi-directionally? With this smart and innovative option, you use your electric car as a home battery, keeping your energy costs low. While the net-metering scheme is likely to come to an end and solar panel owners will receive less compensation for returned energy, bi-directional charging is becoming increasingly attractive.
Here we have listed the current status of each manufacturer. If you are specifically interested in a particular electric model and want to know whether it is suitable for Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) charging, we recommend consulting the EV database for detailed information.
Nissan: Models like the Nissan Leaf and Nissan EV200 already allow you to feed back, thanks to the use of the CHAdeMO plug. However, after 2025 Nissan is likely to switch to the CCS plug to comply with the European standard.
Mitsubishi: The Mitsubishi PHEV Outlander also uses the CHAdeMO plug and can feed back. Note that the battery capacity is smaller than some other models.
Cupra: The Cupra Born 77kWh will soon be launched with V2G capabilities, allowing you to charge bidirectionally.
Hyundai: The Hyundai Ioniq 5 supports V2L, which allows you to control devices up to 3.6 kW. Future models, such as the Ioniq 7, will also be prepared for V2G.
Kia: Both the Kia EV6 and the new Kia e-Niro can use V2L. The Wallbox Quasar 2 charging station will be available for these models, but not until 2024 in the Netherlands.
Volvo: The Volvo EX90, with hardware for bi-directional charging, will soon be launched in selected countries. Availability in the Netherlands is not yet known.
Volkswagen: Volkswagen is working on V2G functionality and is expected to introduce the ID.Buzz with V2G capabilities by the end of 2022. Other models can enable V2G via software updates at an additional cost.
Renault: Renault is testing V2G technology with modified Renault Zoe models and the Megane E-Tech is technically prepared for V2G. Future models will have V2G applications.
Tesla: Although Tesla has not yet officially released two-way charging, it is scheduled to roll it out over the next two years.
Ford: The Ford F-150 Lightning offers V2G capabilities and it has started V2G projects in the US. Ford also offers the Ford Charge Station Pro for bi-directional charging.
Peugeot: Peugeot has teamed up with an energy company to test electric vehicles that can feed back.
BMW: BMW is working on two-way charging and has conducted successful test projects. Collaboration with E.ON will enable smart home charging and bi-directional charging.
Rivian: The US Rivian electric cars, R1T and R1S, can charge bidirectionally, but their availability in the Netherlands is not yet known.
Conclusion
The technology for bi-directional charging is growing rapidly, but in practical terms it is still in its infancy. Car manufacturers need to ensure that both charging stations and cars are in good condition and that batteries can withstand frequent charging and discharging. Making bi-directional charging mandatory by the government could accelerate this development and improve the energy infrastructure.
Bidirectional charging opens up new opportunities for energy efficiency and could change the future of electric mobility. It is an exciting development to keep an eye on as it gives consumers more control over their energy consumption and costs.
