Volvo has developed the capability for bidirectional charging on some of its new electric vehicles (EVs), which means that your car can now be used to power your home or certain appliances. Amid the load shedding crisis in South Africa, this feature essentially turns your Volvo into a battery-powered inverter for your home.
The first model to be equipped with bidirectional charging is the Volvo EX90, which will be available in South Africa in the near future. According to Volvo South Africa’s managing director, Greg Maruszewski, this feature will be well-received by local consumers in light of the ongoing power cuts.
While one car alone may not store enough energy to power an entire house, it can certainly be used to run lights, WiFi routers and even appliances with a lower energy load. This will ease energy demand and help to reduce electricity bills. Volvo is an indirect customer of Formex Industries – the components and assemblies that we manufacture are sold to Volvo through Tier 1 suppliers.
Volvo’s new smart charging technology
What good is an electric car if there is intermittent power in South Africa for charging? Volvo has addressed this issue. “Paired with smart-charging capabilities coming to the Volvo Cars smartphone app, the Volvo EX90 will allow motorists to charge their cars when demand from the grid is low and save that stored energy to be used later (when load shedding kicks in),” explains Maruszewski.
This means that the car will charge itself when the grid is available and store that energy for use during power cuts. This energy is enough to power essential appliances and lights in homes, just like an inverter or solar panel would. “With the EX90, you can power your life,” states the head of electrification ecosystem at Volvo, Olivier Loedel.
In addition to supplying energy for household use, the bidirectional charging system also allows Volvos to charge other compatible EVs. Owners of electric cars will now be able to accept a ‘jump start’ from Volvos if they are running out of battery power. However, if must be noted that not all charging ports on EVs are the same.
Volvo app prolongs battery life
The Volvo Cars app also helps owners to preserve their batteries and extend their usable lifespans. The charging process is automatic and managed through the app, which ensures that the car is charged and discharged in a limited way to reduce the risk of battery degradation. This prolongs the life of the battery and allows for more accurate control of energy cycles.
While South Africa is yest to implement a national ‘buy-back’ scheme for energy, many countries have started paying citizens for their surplus power generated through batteries and solar systems. This bidirectional charging feature will allow customers to support the grid and potentially sell their excess power back to the grid.
The cars will charge when there is a surplus of energy and feed it back into the grid during peak hours and times of high demand. Volvo will also offer the hardware needed for bidirectional charging to customers, including wall boxes and home energy management systems. “Other accessories, such as adapter plugs for appliances and cables for charging other cars will also be available,” says Maruszewski.
“The bidirectional charging offer will initially be launched in selected markets. When South Africa becomes one of those markets, this will be communicated to our local customers,” he concludes. Responsible energy usage is everyone’s responsibility and it’s great to see car companies playing their part to make this easier for consumers. For more information about our components and products, please contact us today.
Formex Industries is a metal forming and assembly company that supplies a variety of complex products to the local automotive industry and the export market. The company is based in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropole, South Africa’s foremost region for automotive manufacturing and export.
Formex is a Level 2 B-BBEE supplier. The company is owned by Deneb Investments Limited – a subsidiary of Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited (HCI) – one of South Africa’s biggest true B-BBEE companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
Follow us on Facebook for the latest industry news and features relating to our products and services.
