Bidirectional Charger Mandates?
What are bidirectional chargers?
The California legislature is considering a new bill that would mandate the use of bidirectional EV chargers for new EVs sold in the state in a move that would change the way EV owners manage their power consumption.
But what is bidirectional charging?
There are a few ways an EV’s battery can be used for electricity storage and delivery: vehicle-to-grid (V2G), vehicle-to-home (V2H), and vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging. Then there is vehicle-to-everything (V2E) which covers all of those areas.
Bidirectional charging enables electricity to flow from the grid to the vehicle or from the vehicle back into the grid or a building, utilizing a dedicated charger or an inverter within the vehicle.
V2G charging aims to supply substantial amounts of electricity from vehicle batteries to balance energy demands as EV adoption grows. This technology can optimize energy usage based on the time of day and utility costs. During peak energy usage times, EVs can be used to return power to the grid, and they can be charged during off-peak times at a lower cost.
V2H takes the energy from the vehicle’s battery and uses it to power a home or building, lessening the demand on the grid and acting as a backup during power outages. V2H can also offer potential savings if the EV can supply power to the home during peak hours when utility rates are highest.
V2L allows the vehicle to provide AC power to charge home appliances and large electronic devices.
Bidirectional charging offers yet another benefit to EV owners looking to maximize the impact of their EV toward a sustainable energy future. By utilizing this technology, EV owners can reduce their carbon footprint and make a significant contribution to the transition towards a sustainable energy future.
Additional information:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB233