V2G/V2H charging station, also known as Bidirectional EV Charger, generally refers to a charging station capable of reverse discharge. The V2G/V2H charging stations used in homes are typically used in conjunction with photovoltaic inverters and Home-ESS energy storage. Here, let’s briefly list a few V2G/V2H charging stations associated with Home-ESS.
Enphase Bidirectional EV Charger
Enphase, based on its own micro-inverter IQ8 series, has released a Bidirectional EV Charger featuring CHAdeMO or CCS DC charging interfaces.
It supports various modes including V2H (Vehicle-to-Home), V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid), Green Charging mode, Savings mode, and Self-Consumption mode.
V2H mode: In this mode, the electric vehicle can supply power to home appliances in reverse when there is a power outage from the grid.
V2G mode: In this mode, the EV Charger reversely feeds the electric vehicle’s power back to the grid, participating in grid services.
Green Charging mode: In this mode, the electric vehicle charges only from excess solar photovoltaic generation.
Savings mode: In this mode, the electric vehicle charges when grid electricity prices are low, and when prices are high, it can supply power to the home to reduce the purchase of electricity from the grid.
Self-Consumption mode: In this mode, the Enphase system minimizes the purchase of electricity from the grid, increasing the self-consumption rate of solar photovoltaic generation.
This V2G/V2H charging station takes into account the user experience during grid outages and incorporates a built-in battery that supports ‘black start.’ This feature is designed to activate communication between the electric vehicle and the charging station when the grid is down.
Wallbox Quasar 2
Quasar 2 is the latest generation of Wallbox’s residential bidirectional DC charging station. During a grid outage, it seamlessly switches to supply power to the home using the electric vehicle’s energy. It offers intelligent features such as charging and discharging based on time-of-use electricity pricing policies, reverse discharge to participate in grid services, and charging electric vehicles with solar energy. It received the Tom’s Guide Best Car Gadget Award at the CES exhibition in 2022.
It utilizes the CCS charging interface, with a power capacity of up to 11.5 kW. It can communicate through Wifi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and 4G, connecting with the Wallbox APP for communication.
Rectifier Technologies Highbury
The Highbury bidirectional DC charging station under the Australian brand Rectifier Technologies is acclaimed as the world’s thinnest bidirectional DC EV Charger.
Available in two specifications: 7 kW and 11 kW, it features CHAdeMO or CCS DC charging interfaces.
Nichicon
The V2H bidirectional DC charging station for homes by the Japanese brand Nichicon is designed to work in conjunction with their own Home-ESS energy storage system. It enables simultaneous charging of electric vehicles using solar energy and the grid, facilitating fast charging. It can charge the electric vehicle during low electricity prices in the late night, use the electric vehicle’s energy to supply power to the home during peak daytime electricity prices, and serve as a backup power source when the grid is down.
With the growing popularity of electric vehicles and the installation of home solar energy storage systems, an increasing number of V2G/V2H charging stations are emerging. These stations help users reduce energy bills and provide emergency power during power outages.
