Imagine that your electric car Don't just use it to get around. V2G technology, or “Vehicle-to-Grid”, allows your vehicle to reinject some of the electricity stored in its batteries back into the grid. All the explanations about V2G and its advantages.
The principle of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G)
How does V2G work? This technology meets a double need of energy suppliers who, with the energy transition, must:
- Integrating ever more renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind, without being able to store their production on a large scale
- Guarantee consumers a stable network that meets their daily needs instantly
V2G is a technology that makes it possible to draw energy directly from the batteries of charging electric vehicles, when the network requires it. Charging therefore no longer only goes in the direction of the vehicle, but becomes bi-directional.
When the supply of energy from the grid exceeds the demand, electric vehicles charge in the traditional way. But if demand exceeds supply, vehicles connected to the grid can then supply it with energy.
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G): on the user side
Great progress for energy suppliers and our national network. But on the user side, what is going on?
At present, V2G is limited in France to corporate electric vehicle fleets. But in the medium term, the objective is to deploy a solution at home.
Don't worry: to use V2G technology and thus participate in powering the electrical network, you will have to give your consent beforehand. Everything will be configurable via an application on your smartphone.
Thus, when you connect your electric vehicle to your bidirectional charging station, its battery will be charged and discharged according to its needs and those of the network. However, there is no risk of running out of battery when you leave for work, because the battery will only discharge to a small extent.
Thanks to your application, it will also be possible to program a 100% charge for a certain time. An unexpected departure? No problem: you can cancel sending energy to the grid to force your car to charge.
The impact of V2G on the battery of your electric car
It is true that V2G causes a greater number of charge/discharge cycles for the battery. However, with lithium-ion batteries, if energy management is well done, degradation is very limited, or even zero.
Experts in the field have even determined that V2G and intelligent battery charge control can actually increase their lifespan. After running simulations, the researchers developed a V2G algorithm designed to minimize degradation.
The absence of impact of V2G on the battery can also be guaranteed by customer EV guarantees, for example, this is already the case if you use a V2G system approved by Nissan.
In addition, the new lithium-ion batteries currently under development are expected to reach a lifespan equivalent to more than 1.6 million kilometers. They will be more robust and have a higher capacity than those currently known.
Also to be read: Lithium battery: everything you need to know about its use
Why V2G is an essential innovation
V2G is already widely used and approved in Japan, but also legalized in Germany. This technology is among the solutions that make it possible to make maximum use of renewable electricity and to better manage fluctuations on the electricity network.
But this technology is not only beneficial for energy producers. It is also beneficial for you, as a user.
Earn money while being an actor in the ecological transition
By choosing to supply electricity to the grid via your electric car, you are taking an individual part in the ecological transition. To do this, your electricity supplier pays you for the electricity returned. When your electric vehicle is not running, the energy stored in your battery can bring you the equivalent of 15,000 km of electric fuel per year, or around 250 euros.
Thus, using V2G allows you to cover part of your car electricity bill. A smart choice when you know that your cars are parked 90% of the time!
Thanks to V2G, electric vehicles will become an essential link in our electrical network. With the ban on the sale of cars using fossil fuels by 2040, it is estimated that 40 million electric cars will be driving in France within 20 years. Enough to provide significant support to the network!
V2G: a solution to the problem of storing green energy
It is now complicated to store green energy. The structures that allow it are very expensive, but also polluting. Since humans do not have control over the elements that generate them (wind for wind turbines, the sun for photovoltaic...), how can we avoid shortages on the network?
V2G is one of the solutions. Thus, the distributed storage capacity made available through this technology will be able to help energy suppliers meet variations in demand.
The implementation of this technology is a logical step forward in the context of the energy transition, widely encouraged by the State. It is fully in line with the development of ” smart grids” or “smart grids” , these electricity networks that adjust flows between suppliers and consumers, using computer tools.
V2G: compatible cars and terminals
- Have a V2G compatible vehicle
- Have a bidirectional terminal capable of powering your vehicle's batteries, but also of receiving energy from them
Among V2G compatible vehicles, we now find some models from Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors. On the French side, Renault is working on its prototypes.
As for the terminals, the Qovoltis terminal is already ready for V2G. It allows fast charging, controlled from an intuitive application, on your
smartphone. Plug in your vehicle and leave with peace of mind: your car will be fully charged at the desired time.
Designed in a design way, but also resolutely intelligent, the Qovoltis terminal has the ability to optimize the charging of your vehicle. As a user, you can therefore opt for fast or optimized charging, according to the peak hours/off-peak rates or according to your needs in relation to your vehicle, for example.
In the pursuit of the shift in favor of ecological transition and the multiplication of the use of green energies, V2G therefore has every reason to establish itself in the French automotive landscape in the coming years. Already experienced in the business world, it has also been deployed for individuals in Bordeaux and more widely in Occitanie, where 100 V2G charging stations were installed in 2020.
