Vehicle-To-Grid (V2G) Charging Approved For South Australia

A lot of EV models these days come with vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability as standard, which is pretty cool. For example, in Australia, the Hyundai IONIQ 5, the KIA EV6, the BYD Atto 3, and the MG ZS EV all come with V2L capability. V2L tech is proving that it is no longer just a nice-to-have feature for the occasional camping trip but a necessity that improves the value proposition of electric cars. Earlier this year, a perfect example of this came from a urologist in Austin, Texas! In what could actually be the first ever vasectomy performed using V2L, Dr Christopher Yang performed what he called the world’s first Rivian-powered vasectomy. It would be great to see Rivian’s “utes” in Australia. (Pickups are a big deal down under, where they are popularly known as utes.)

V2L is designed for use with appliances, not for connecting and interacting with the grid or your home. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability is even better, as it allows EVs to connect and interact with the grid. Modern EVs have large batteries that are rarely depleted, or even drained below 50%, for most people’s daily commutes. Bi-directional charging allows EV users to charge their vehicles using the grid during the day, or their own solar power, and then allows them to discharge electricity back onto the grid as needed. With home-solar charging, and then discharging during peak periods when electricity prices from the grid are higher, V2G can significantly lower electricity bills and improve the business case for going electric. In Australia, the Nissan LEAF, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross are currently the only EVs on the market that are V2G compatible.

JET Charge, a leading electric vehicle charging infrastructure business in Australia, working with South Australia Power Networks (SAPN), Mitsubishi Motors Australia, Nissan, and Wallbox, are bringing bi-directional charging to the Australian residential market. JET Charge says, “After three years of hard work, we are proud to have received approval from SAPN for the Wallbox Quasar V2G EV charger.” At this time, the Wallbox Quasar is exclusively approved for installation in bidirectional mode in the state of South Australia (outside of approved trials). JET Charge and Wallbox are actively working with the appropriate distribution network service providers and regulatory bodies to obtain approval for installation in other states throughout Australia.

JET Charge has been at the forefront of the V2G movement in Australia, with several research trial projects conducted alongside partners Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors Australia. With Nissan, and other industry partners, JET Charge has been a key player in the ACT’s large-scale Realising Vehicle-to-Grid services (REVs) trial to bring this technology closer to public availability. In South Australia, Ballycroft Winery is trialing the running of its entire operations off of renewables and V2G with its Nissan LEAF EV. JET Charge has also been working with Mitsubishi Motors Australia at its Adelaide headquarters to ensure the consumer experience with V2G is optimised, testing Quasar with on-site renewables and with the Mitsubishi Outlander and Eclipse Cross PHEV.

“This is a monumental milestone for our industry; V2G technology will transform how we view electric vehicles and holds the key to zero cost mobility. South Australia’s leadership in approving the first V2G charging station in Australia is promising and we look forward to other states and territories following suit,” said JET Charge CEO, Tim Washington.

There are probably more than 400 EV models available in different parts of the world now. A lot more models are starting to come with V2L as standard. I hope we start to see more models come with V2G functionality as a standard feature.