The all-electric Volvo EX90 is coming, and Volvo is gradually revealing the technological innovations that will be part of it.
The model is expected to integrate bi-directional charging technology.
The environment is now part of our daily concerns. We often talk about it and try to act with an eye to our impact on it.
For example, increasing numbers of motorists are migrating quietly and when we can to electric vehicles. But here again, this solution has impacts on our environment. Indeed, as society becomes more electrified, the increased demand for electricity can put significant pressure on the grid.
In search of energy
One way to address this issue? Two-way charging. We've already seen it in electric models such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, and it's certainly not an end-all, be-all fix, but it can help relieve strain on the power supply.
The Volvo EX90 is set to be unveiled on November 9, 2022; it will feature several new technologies, including two-way charging, which Volvo is gradually unveiling in the leadup to the big reveal. Volvo believes that some of the new tech it is introducing in its cars can help ease the pressure on electricity supply. The two-way charging capability of your Volvo can help meet your home's energy needs and, when unplugged, become a battery on wheels powering your life on the go.
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Volvo's first bi-directional charging car
Available initially in select markets, this system has the potential to make energy use more economical and sustainable. The Volvo EX90 will allow you to charge your car when grid demand and prices are low - something many Asian and European manufacturers already allow - and save the stored energy for later use. That way, it will be possible to power your home and other electrical appliances when electricity supply is expensive, low or unavailable.
“With the Volvo EX90, you can power your life. You can use its battery in many ways, from recharging your electric bike while you're on the go to plugging in an outdoor cooking appliance for your weekend camping trip. It could even power your home during the hours when electricity is most expensive during the day.”
- Olivier Loedel, head of the electrification ecosystem at Volvo
It will also be possible to help charge other Volvo vehicles. The charging process will be managed by the smart charging feature in the Volvo Cars app.
Going even further
Bidirectional or two-way charging could, in some markets, allow customers to think about processing the stored energy in different ways. Why not think about storing energy in off-peak periods, when it is cheapest, and selling it when demand is highest?
If most cars were equipped with this feature and connected, the use of the energy thus accumulated could be handled in a different way. Again, this is nothing new - many families in Europe store solar energy to sell it when demand is at its highest; except that here we would be talking about virtual grid connectivity.