Audi commences bi-directional charging development

Audi has announced that it has started work on bi-directional charging which would allow EVs to give energy back to the grid. 

The system allows electricity kept in home stores to power EVs, but would also mean that electric vehicles could give energy back.

Developed in partnership with Hager Group, the technology could be particularly beneficial – according to Audi – to those users with solar panels as excess electricity could be stored temporarily and then used when required. 

Martin Dehm, technical project manager for bidirectional charging at Audi, said: “Electric mobility is bringing the automotive industry and the energy sector closer together. The battery of an Audi e-tron could supply a single-family home with energy for around one week independently. Looking ahead, we want to make this potential accessible and make the electric car part of the energy transition as an energy storage device on four wheels.”

The technology sees the EV as a ‘decentralised storage medium’ which is capable of temporarily holding electricity. Taking solar power as an example, if a home is being run by the power of the sun during the day, any excess energy produced during the time can be fed...