Energy software platform Kaluza has announced the launch of Inflexion, a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) bidirectional charging program that it hopes it will open up vehicle to everything technology to all electric vehicle models.
Kaluza has also announced a “world-first” trial to be conducted in the UK with Volkswagen Group, energy retailer Ovo Energy and infotech company Indra, that will mark the first real-world use of bidirectional charging with Combined Charging Systems (CCS), the charging standard now used by most EVs.
The program aims to prove the technology using Volkswagen’s CCS vehicles and Ovo energy customers with the Kaluza’s platform coordinating the system between EV owners and the energy retailer.
V2X technology enables electric vehicle owners to power their home using their EV, use their EV as a backup power source during outages and sell surplus energy back to the grid. The platform also allows energy suppliers to engage EV owners to participate in energy trading.
The use of CCS charging means the Inflexion trial is a potential game-changer for V2X technology as CCS is used on millions of EVs. If successful could accelerate the rollout of V2X dramatically.
Although Inflexion will be the first trial of its kind using CCS technology, Kaluza recently completed another trial with Ovo Energy customers which it claims was the world’s largest domestic V2G trial. The 36 month programme involved over 330 V2G chargers.
Kaluza’s report on the program showed average customer savings of £420 per year and 3 million “free” miles driven which is almost 15,000 km per vehicle.
Kaluza gained a lot data from the 3 year trial and key takeaways such as engaging with auto OEMs early, collaborating closely with policymakers and regulators and the importance of building customer confidence from the outset. Valuable lessons it will carry into the Inflexion CCS program.
“This is not just about driving renewable energy solutions forward, it’s about demonstrating how customers can actually reduce their energy bills by making the switch to an EV,” said Alex Thwaites, Head of Zero Carbon Living at Ovo Energy.
“With Ovo’s V2G tariff trial we saw some EV drivers save up to £800 a year on their bills.”
In December 2022 battery electric vehicle sales soared to 33% of all new cars sold in the UK. Kaluza says that as one of the world’s fastest-growing EV markets, the UK is the perfect testbed for V2X.
According to Kaluza’s data, if all vehicles in the UK today were electric and V2X-enabled they could displace 60% of all gas backup generation currently active in the UK.
Inflexion is part of the UK’s V2X (vehicle-to-everything) Innovation Programme which aims to address barriers to enabling energy flexibility from bi-directional electric vehicle charging.
“V2X will have a transformative effect on decarbonising our energy system but only if we make it accessible and affordable for all,” Scott Neuman, CEO at Kaluza said in a statement.
‘Inflexion is an exciting step for the industry to engage and learn from real EV drivers and bring this game changing technology closer to true, commercial scale. Kaluza is ideally positioned to lead this work with our advanced software and extensive ecosystem of partners.”
There’s an enormous opportunity for vehicle-to-grid to accelerate the world’s transition away from fossil fuels.
A recent study showed that just a fraction of EV owners participating in V2G could provide the entire world’s short-term battery storage requirements.
Good public policy and putting an end to the EV plug wars is vital to unlocking this potential.
Daniel Bleakley is a clean technology researcher and advocate with a background in engineering and business. He has a strong interest in electric vehicles, renewable energy, manufacturing and public policy.
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