COLOGNE, Germany - Anyone who uses one of Ford's new battery-electric models, has solar panels and a home power plant from provider E3/DC installed, can now also use their vehicle as a storage extension for their home.
Both the Ford Explorer and the new Ford Capri are approved for bidirectional DC charging that means that the domestic photovoltaic system first charges the batteries of the Explorer and Capri with solar energy. In return, the electric cars provide energy for use in the home when required. This reduces the strain on the power grid and your wallet by increasing the use of self-generated solar energy, which would otherwise be fed into the grid.
With the EDISON V2H bidirectional charging solution, E3/DC provides the technical extension for the home power station. Specially trained E3/DC specialist partners install the DC charging station at the customer's premises. The partnership between Ford and E3/DC is available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Thanks to bidirectional charging, electric vehicles also have an important function when stationary: they serve as additional storage for renewable energy in residential and commercial buildings. In this way, they help to flexibly adapt on-site power generation to current demand. The large capacity of the vehicle battery supplements the stationary storage system and significantly increases security in the event of grid failures.
“We have deliberately equipped the Ford Explorer and our new Capri with the option of bidirectional charging, thereby creating an important pillar of sustainable energy supply,” explains Oliver Adrian, Head of European Charging & Energy Strategy and Go-to Market, Ford Model e. “With the help of this technology, even more energy from renewable sources can be used. The large batteries in our modern electric models are ideal as buffer storage.”
