What do you know about Bidirectional Charging?

What Is Bidirectional Charging?

Unlike most existing EV charging technology, which sends energy only in one direction — from a power source to a car's battery — bidirectional charging allows the vehicle to send that energy for use by other devices.

In one-directional charging, alternating current (AC) electricity is converted to direct current (DC) energy that's stored in an EV battery to power the car. This conversion can happen within the charger or in the vehicle, depending on which device is equipped with a converter.

With a bidirectional charger, the converter can transform the car's DC energy back into AC electricity and pass it along to another recipient. Efficiently running this bidirectional conversion process requires smart-charging technology, which manages how and when the car takes or returns energy.

Types of Bidirectional Charging

Bidirectional charging allows your car to send energy to various recipients, but the most common current applications involve returning energy to the grid or sending it to your home, business, appliances or another vehicle.

• Vehicle to grid (V2G): This is the most common application of bidirectional charging. Through a converter that's usually present in the charger, it allows vehicles to send energy directly back to the grid. This can facilitate more energy efficiency for a local power grid and lead to cost savings by enabling charger owners to get paid for helping maintain grid reliability.

• Vehicle to home (V2H): Bidirectional V2H charging turns your car battery into a backup power source for your home. This also allows for more efficient energy usage and potential cost savings and typically relies on technology that's built into the charger.

• Vehicle to load (V2L): This is probably the most common type of bidirectional charging available today. With V2L charging, you can use your EV battery to power appliances and tools on the go. This type of charging relies on vehicles that have built-in converters and plugs for charging appliances and devices, both of which are becoming increasingly common.

• Vehicle to vehicle (V2V): Another application of  V2L charging, allows you to pass energy from one car to another. This is a valuable way to deal with the problem of range anxiety.

3 Advantages of Bidirectional Charging for EV Drivers and Charging Station Owners

By creating this two-way energy stream, bidirectional charging offers several benefits to EV owners, both in terms of potential savings and energy efficiency.