Dear Bryce,
Thanks for your informative fact sheet on the Cupra Born. Â (Available at aeva.au/fact-sheets). I am considering buying a Cupra Born but I also was very excited that vehicle to grid is coming.
My understanding is that Cupra Borns can do vehicle to grid in Europe. I was wondering if you know whether it is a hardware or software thing. I’m wondering if there is potential to update the Cupra Born software so that it can do vehicle to grid in the future or if I would need to buy a new car to achieve that.Â
Thanks for your help.Â
Kind regards,
Joslin
Hi Joslin – you ask a very good question! (And one I have been curious about re all the EVs capable of V2G in Europe and whether they ‘could’ do so here).
I have long suspected that it is only a software update for many of them – which VW confirmed for European ID platform cars back in late 2023. (VW said then that MEB platform ID models with the 77 kWh battery will have access to V2G). The company also said it could activate the function in already delivered EVs with its ID Software 3.5 update.
As the Born is effectively a VW ID.3, and has the 77 kWh (usable) battery, that ‘should’ mean it is a software change only. Especially as with the changes to the Australian Standard for grid-connect batteries, bidirectional chargers approved in Europe are ‘deemed to comply’ re being sold here. This means if the right chargers are imported, they will work with recent 77 kWh MEB platform cars.
On the other hand, which bidirectional chargers the Born would work with is an open question. VW have only made it compatible with one or two at the moment …. so will the charger retailers bring the right one/s here even when Cupra allow it??
Sadly, even with the arrival of the Born’s siblings (the VW ID.4, ID.7 and ID.Buzz are all built on the same platform, as are a slew of VW group cars including the Skoda Enyaq and Elroq, Audi Q4 and Q5, as well as the Cupra Tavascan), the VW Group in Australia has stayed ‘mum’ about V2H/G functionality.
Certainly, Vehicle to Home (V2H) is possible now if they unlock the feature and you install a bidirectional V2X box on your wall next to your switchboard. (V2H works by supplying the house only and never connects to the grid and, as mentioned above, is now possible with the change in the battery Standard).
V2G is still a little way off though, given the states and territories are still to fully agree how V2X boxes and cars will communicate and interact with the grid. It is close though, as the recent BYD/Amber V2G trial shows.
Once those kinks are sorted, hopefully all the manufacturers with existing V2H/G capable cars will announce the feature and V2G will be ‘on for young and old’ … and that rather large group of early adopters I constantly meet at EV talks and events who are waiting for V2G will finally make their move!
Oops, I have digressed: coming back to your question Joslin regarding buying a Cupra Born now. Well, I would probably wait a little longer till Cupra in Australia announce V2H/G capability.
As the saying goes, there can be ‘many a slip between cup and lip’, and it would be more than annoying to buy a car that should have been V2H/G capable, but the importers refused to update the software or change the warranty to include using the feature.
Hopefully, that wait won’t be too much longer: I would guess it will be sometime 2026 (hopefully earlier than later) before we see V2H/G for the Born (and perhaps many other VW MEB platform cars) in Australia.
Bryce Gaton is an expert on electric vehicles and contributor for The Driven and Renew Economy. He has been working in the EV sector since 2008 and is currently working as EV electrical safety trainer/supervisor for the University of Melbourne. He also provides support for the EV Transition to business, government and the public through his EV Transition consultancy EVchoice.