Volkswagen started offering bidirectional charging with ID. Family model with its Vehicle to Home function.
The German automaker’s bidirectional charging capabilities will be available in new ID. Family models with a 77 kWh battery and ID. Software 3.5 or higher. VW’s Vehicle to Home function works with power stations and the integrated Home Energy Management System (HEMS) for its partner HagerEnergy GmBH.
With an ID. Family model’s bidirectional charging, the home power station activates when the home storage system requires more energy. Once the home storage system is fully charged, Volkswagen’s ID. Family model stops transferring energy and goes on standby mode.
“We are actively shaping the energy transition with products and services centered around the electric car: With the bidirectional charging function that is now available, we have tailored a new service offering to the needs of our customers. Not only can they save energy costs, but they are also making an important contribution to the sustainable use of energy,” said Imelda Labbé, Volkswagen Board Member for Sales, Marketing and After Sales.
Volkswagen estimates that an ID. Family model with bidirectional charging can supply enough electricity for two full days, assuming the average consumption of a house is precisely 30 kWh. The German automaker cautions that the ID Model’s high-voltage battery cannot be discharged below 20% state of charge.
Other automakers have rolled out bidirectional charging in their vehicles as well. Bidirectional charging has been chiefly applied to pickup trucks. Recently, Tesla released bidirectional charging through the Cybertruck’s Powershare feature, which provides up to 30 kWh a day. The Ford also launched bidirectional charging in its all-electric F-150 Lightning.
VW and HagerEnergy GmbH launched a pilot project in Sweden to test the ID. Family’s bidirectional charging. Volkswagen bidirectional charging technology benefits a remodeled 350-year-old farm in Hudiksvall, Sweden, that was turned into a new settlement. Swedish entrepreneur Klas Boman aimed to make the houses in the settlement future-proof and sustainable to last for another 350 years by remodeling them.
“Stenberg is a once-in-a-lifetime project. When we decided to realize ‘the other 350-year project,’ energy and the environment were key. Every decision was made with these aspects in mind. The use of electric vehicles as energy storage was considered from the outset. Thankfully, Volkswagen joined the project in April 2021, and we are now ready to go. This will be one of the biggest changes in the energy market.”
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