Novel mobility service supports Utrecht’s bi-directional ecosystem
Hyundai Motors Group has partnered with mobility provider We Drive Solar and has launched a new mobility project in Utrecht. Hyundai will deploy 25 IONIQ 5 units with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology in the hopes of leading Utrecht to become the world’s first bi-directional region.
Hyundai’s deployment will be utilised in a new car-sharing service for the development district of Cartesius in Utrecht. The project aims to integrate sustainability with innovation and mobility.
The eventual goal of the program is to have 150 vehicles serve as a buffer for renewable energy on the grid and help provide cleaner air, reduce traffic on the streets and provide residents with zero-emissions mobility options.
Robin Berg, director of We Drive Solar, commented on the partnership in a statement, “With unique Vehicle-to-Grid technology, We Drive Solar can use vehicles to store sustainable energy on a large scale, moving in the course of this year from 25 to 150 IONIQ 5 units.
“Together with Hyundai, we will make Utrecht the first city and region in the world with a bi-directional energy ecosystem.”
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Cartesius and IONIQ 5
Cartesius Utrecht is a new-build project where area developers MRP and Ballast Nedam Development plan to build 2,530 homes.
With the help of a smart mobility offer, residents in the area receive alternatives to cars, including electric shared vehicles, namely the IONIQ 5 from We Drive Solar.
IONIQ 5 will also serve as a bi-directional production car. A V2G system, the models’ batteries will be used on a large scale to store sustainable energy. During peak times when large amounts of energy are consumed, these storage systems will be able to supply energy back to the electricity grid.
This will make it possible to use car batteries as a buffer in a sustainable grid system where solar and wind power are the main energy sources.
Michael Cole, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe, stated: “At Hyundai, we believe that bi-directional charging in combination with V2G technology can turn battery electric vehicles into flexible resources.
“IONIQ 5 and V2G technology not only offer an alternative solution for customers looking to move away from traditional combustion engines, but also helps to increase the viability of renewable energy generation within the grid.”
The project is one of the latest initiatives in Utrecht toward its V2G goal. In the past three years, more than 1,000 bi-directional charging points have been constructed throughout the region. These can be used to charge vehicles and discharge power back into the grid when needed.
The more =renewable energy sources are used, the more V2G technology helps reduce the impact of climate change.
By relying on the energy from solar or wind – which is stored in the battery packs of electric cars – dependence on fossil-fuel powered plants, which cause more pollution and higher energy prices during peak hours, is reduced.
