Hyundai Launches Home Energy Ecosystem Line
Hyundai USA has taken a page out of Tesla’s book and is launching its own energy product lines. Hyundai Home is offering three products that it hopes will take on Tesla Energy.
“Not only can you charge your electric Hyundai at home, you also have the power to take charge of your home’s energy. Hyundai Home gives you an easy way to produce, store and use your own energy with solar panels, energy storage systems, and an EV home charger.”
Although the products aren’t available yet, looking at the webpage made me feel a sense of deja vu. Hyundai Home plans to offer solar panels, an energy storage system, and a home EV charger. Not much is known about its solar panels, but Hyundai encourages you to sign up to learn more. Hyundai noted that solar panels are an efficient way to generate your own electricity while reducing your carbon footprint.
Hyundai is purchasing solar panels with built-in microinverters as well as available energy storage systems from the same company. This company’s technology is well-known for high efficiency and long-lasting high performance. The name of that company hasn’t been disclosed yet, though. What’s your guess?
There is also very little detail other than that it can store excess power generated from the solar panels. The home EV charger will be a 240-volt (Level 2) charger that can charge up to 3 to 7 times faster than with a conventional 110-volt outlet. Hyundai has no plans to include the wall charger with the price of the EV, but encourages its customers to work with their dealers or buy from the new website.
The reason that Hyundai is launching this energy ecosystem is that it wants to ease the customers’ burden of painstaking research on home energy. The company said that it wanted to simplify the process by creating a “one-stop-shop” energy ecosystem so the customer doesn’t have to figure too many things out.
“The idea of solar energy is still a new and complex space. Customers spend hours doing research to determine what products to use, which ones are the safest and most compatible with their needs. With Hyundai Home, we are simplifying the process. Through our ‘one-stop-shop’ energy ecosystem we are doing the legwork for the customer.”
Hyundai noted that “several OEMs” offer a similar ecosystem solution but theirs is superior. [Editor’s note: Similar programs have been launched as far back as 10 years ago. Ford and SunPower teamed up, for example, to offer rooftop solar power to Ford Focus EV buyers. I recall similar partnerships for Nissan and Honda EV buyers. Of course, back then, stationary energy storage systems weren’t yet part of the package.]
“Hyundai is delivering an excellent customer experience that combines Hyundai’s leadership in customer care and service with class-leading partners in energy and electrification. Launching Hyundai Home in collaboration with these industry experts is the perfect way to introduce Hyundai Home to customers looking for a more streamlined way to receive solar and EV charging solutions. For example, we don’t require bundling of our energy storage solution with solar panels. We are including microinverters with our solar panels. Microinverters enable solar panels to operate independently even if one of them is partially in the shade.
“We will also be prioritizing an excellent customer experience. The Hyundai Home experience will include a personalized purchase process and ongoing/consistent touch points throughout the customer’s EV journey — ensuring and guaranteeing customer satisfaction. Our aim is to make going solar, electric, and living sustainably as seamless as possible.”
Hyundai noted that its products should be available in early 2022 at select dealerships.
Featured image courtesy of Hyundai USA.
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