Have you made the switch to electric yet? One of the challenges preventing more people from adopting electric vehicles is concern over battery life and charging capacity. Often referred to as "range anxiety," this is the fear of whether the car will reach the next charging station in time.
And even if you make it, will the charger actually work? The current charging infrastructure still leaves much to be desired, often forcing drivers to go miles out of their way to find a fast, reliable charger. It's an understandable speed bump on the road to more sustainable motoring.
And while significant inroads has been made in recent years – new EVs now offer battery ranges of 150-300 miles, and Zapmap reports 66,779 charging points across the UK – I never expected to live in an era when an electric car battery could power… a house!
But that’s exactly what’s happening, thanks to the quirks of electricity pricing and the brilliance of bi-directional car charging…
V2H Technology: Triumph or Turkey?
Also known as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technologies, two-way charging could help stabilise the energy network, and it’s coming soon to a charger near you!
“But why would you want to drain power away from your electric car?” I hear you ask.
Well, keep in mind that your electric car’s battery is a sizeable energy storage unit. By using apps like those from Octopus, Ovo or Zapmap, you can charge your car when electricity is cheapest, turning your battery into a reservoir of affordable energy.
Consider Mike Schooling – a participant in a trial with UK-based energy company Ovo – who used electricity from his Nissan Leaf to cook the Christmas turkey for his partner, Joanna, and their two-year-old son, George. By charging the car battery overnight at just 5p per unit (instead of the daytime rate of 25p) the total electricity bill for the day’s festivities amounted to £1.62 rather than £5.25.
Extrapolate that festive example of Vehicle-to-Home savings over a full year (Ovo estimates it could be around £420), and the principle seems much less absurd, especially during a cost-of-living crisis fuelled (no pun intended) by rising energy bills.
In addition to feeding energy back into your home to power appliances, you can also sell energy back to the national grid for a higher price than what you paid during off-peak charging. A car that makes me money? Great Scott! I haven’t been this excited since the DeLorean!
And why stop there? In the world of two-way charging, the power can extend far beyond your driveway at home… Your car could provide juice to any number of appliances when you’re out and about on, say, a camping holiday.
Renault are already exploring such possibilities:
“Next year a new Renault 5 supermini, already available to order in Europe, will be sold in Britain – complete with battery technology designed to make bi-directional charging more efficient. Drivers away from home will be able to use the car battery for everything from charging an e-bike to boiling a kettle.”
They must’ve heard that us Brits never like to be too far from our next cuppa…
And as with most tech these days, the impact of AI is already being felt in terms of EV battery life. Machine learning has pinpointed the optimal method for manufacturers to give a battery its initial charge. Instead of the traditional slow and steady approach with low electric currents during the final stage of battery preparation, New Scientist reports that using high currents can "significantly increase" the number of recharge cycles and boost lifespans "by 50 percent on average."
In more ways than one, then, it looks like EVs are here to stay.
Tow Selector
A few years ago, my blog about hesitating to switch to an EV centred on my need for a vehicle robust enough to tow the family caravan. I’d concluded it didn’t (yet) make sense to make the leap, with research stating:
“Many manufacturers don’t put electric models through the homologation process [the process of certifying that a vehicle, part, or product meets regulatory standards and legal requirements] for towing, because the extra effort of towing a trailer can dramatically reduce the maximum driving range.”
But with upcoming innovations and the benefits of bi-directional charging, it seems the whole process might be getting smarter. So, is it time for a re-think?
Back in 2020, it seemed that only the Tesla Model X SUV had the requisite oomph to tow a caravan. And, with a towing capacity of up to 2,250kg and a range of 348 miles, it remains a strong (if not particularly affordable) option for caravanning.
But according to Autocar, times may have changed:
“Technology has improved, with the result that ever-increasing numbers of EVs have been designed to accommodate a towbar and can hitch up to the sort of loads normally the preserve of ICE [Internal Combustion Engine] models. There’s still a little way to go before these electrified offerings can match the most accomplished petrol- or diesel-engined haulers (the best can pull up to 3,500kg), but there are still plenty of options for those who want to tow and make the switch to an EV.”
Indeed, more manufacturers are appearing in Tesla’s rearview mirror, with the Kia EV9 recently winning the 2024 Autocar award for best large car. It boasts a maximum towing capacity of 2,500kg and a battery range of up to 349 miles. And if a Kia’s not your cup of tea, the BMW iX matches its 2,500kg pulling power, with a comparable battery range.
And yet, just as mentioned in that blog from four years ago, we're still waiting for the Tesla Cybertruck to make its debut. Expected to have a staggering towing capacity of 6,350 kg, I can't help but appreciate the absurdity of holding out for this fabled e-powered beast. Waiting for Elon, anyone?
A Solution Revolution?
So, the allure of going electric has undoubtedly grown stronger.
And that’s without mentioning the myriad of ecological benefits!
V2G and V2H technology represents an opportunity for savvy car owners to capitalise on the system and make a bit of cash with each nighttime charge.
Just as today’s farmers with fields full of solar panels may not have been eco-warriors in their youth, a segment of today’s petrolheads could well become the EV advocates of tomorrow. If tackling climate change demands such inventive strategies, then it’s a Trojan horse I’m willing to back.
And maybe, just maybe, we’ll soon see electric cars differently – not as a source of anxiety, but a source of solutions.
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