Hyundai launches one stop shop for EV charger, solar and battery

Homeowners in the US will soon be able to purchase an entire home energy package including EV charger from Hyundai when the South Korean carmaker launches its new “Hyundai Home” website in 2022.

Showcasing the possibilities in a tiny home display, Hyundai Home will sell solar panels, batteries and electric vehicle chargers via a “one-stop shop” that will include a personalized concierge checkout experience for buyers.

And while it won’t be introduced locally as yet, a spokesperson for Hyundai told The Driven that they think it “would work well in this market.”

As more and more homeowners choose to switch to electric cars and boost their home energy needs with free electrons from the sun, it’s no surprise that other carmakers are moving towards expanding into the residential sector, while some energy companies are moving into electric vehicles.

Californian EV maker Tesla, of course, already sells solar panels and batteries alongside popular electric models that include the Model 3 and the Model Y, and just this week we’ve seen SPI Energy – a solar panel and battery storage provider also based in the sunny state – debut a solar-panelled electric ute called the EF1-T.

Hyundai of course has several electric models, with its first dedicated electric vehicle, the Ioniq 5, having sold out within hours in Australia.

It comes with an optional solar roof that can help to extend driving range (adding as much as 2,000 free kilometres a year according to the carmaker), and with vehicle-to-load charging can also be used to charge devices and even other electric vehicles.

Rather than offer a menu with an array of products and leave customers to navigate what can be complex purchasing decisions, Hyundai Home plans to help decide on the best products from partners to suit individual needs.

“The goal of the Hyundai Home energy ecosystem is to provide an end-to-end mobility solution that lowers the barriers to EV adoption and gives customers dependable, industry-leading, clean electric power, and the ability to charge their electric vehicle at home,” said Olabisi Boyle, VP for product planning and mobility strategy for Hyundai Motor North America.

“With Hyundai Home, Hyundai is delivering a seamless EV ownership experience that empowers consumers to adopt eco-friendly technologies in the manner that best fits their lifestyles.”

While Hyundai Home has not outlined which partners it plans to sell products for, the South Korean automaker has been making its own solar panels since 2004.

In March, it deployed a 1.37GWh solar cell factory in Eumseong County, in South Korea’s North Chungcheong Province, at which Hyundai Energy Solutions makes mono PERC cells for the South Korean and US markets according to PV Magazine.

In 2018, Hyundai Heavy Industries re-entered the Australian market after it stopped selling panels locally in 2011.

Updated with comments about availability in Australia.