The first time for electricity: this is how cars power the network

UTRECHT – It will be there Ioniq 5an exclusively electric model of the Hyundaito make possible the world‘s first large-scale technology application project in Utrecht, the Netherlands Vehicle-to-grid. Two hundred and fifty Ioniq 5 will be used by We Drive Solar, a company that develops projects in the renewable energy and electric car-sharing sector, to provide shared mobility services in the newly built Cartesius Utrecht area and exchange energy with the electricity distribution network. local.

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology allows electric cars to return part of the energy stored in the batteries to the grid when required. This allows the vehicle owner to make an economic gain and the management system of the electricity system to be able to better integrate discontinuous production sources, such as solar photovoltaic and wind, by correctly balancing the grid. A single technology, therefore, for many advantages.

The car can recharge its batteries when electricity is available in abundance and at low cost, and then make its charged battery available when electricity generation is lower and demand risks exceeding supply. In these moments, the returned electricity and the very availability of storage systems ready to go into action have a very high economic value. Therefore, electricity is bought cheaply and sold at a much higher price. Receiving compensation also for the simple connection to the energy capacity network. This makes possible a level of generation from renewable sources that would otherwise not be tolerable by the electricity distribution system.

“We are very proud to launch this initiative with We Drive Solar – he said Michael Colepresident and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe, at the start of the project – we believe that the bi-directional charging system, together with the V2G technology, makes the electric car a very flexible resource, also capable of making the path of renewable energy viable for the electricity generation and distribution system “.

Cartesius Utrecht’s intelligent energy exchange project starts with a first fleet of twenty-five Ioniq 5 cars, which will reach the two hundred and fifty units expected during the year. Hyundai and We Drive Solar, thanks to cars with V2G technology, solar panels on homes and bi-directional charging infrastructure in the area, lay the foundations for the energy system of the near future, destined to reach far beyond the boundaries of the city of Utrecht. The Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and Vehicle-to-home (V2H) functions, achievable with the Ioniq 5, complete the picture of great energy flexibility, which allow the car to directly power any electrical user, such as household appliances. , or an entire house.