SDG&E and Toyota to collaborate on vehicle to grid technology

Toyota Motor North America and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) will collaborate on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) research for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with the aim of researching and developing bidirectional tech for grid balancing.

The V2G research will explore bidirectional power flow technology that enables BEV owners to both charge their vehicle’s batteries from the electric grid and discharge electricity from the batteries back to the grid.

According to the partners in a release, understanding the needs of BEV owners, their charging habits, and when they use their vehicles will be crucial in driving widespread adoption of V2G.

Nearly 80% of owners currently charge their BEVs at home overnight, when grid demand is lower. With bidirectional capability, these vehicles could send power back to the grid during peak demand hours or at other critical times, such as during rotating outages due to shortage in electricity supplies.

The collaboration between SDG&E, a Southern California-based public utility that serves 3.7 million people, and Toyota’s Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions (EVCS) team, aims to find synergies between the needs of BEV owners and the needs of the electricity grid, as well as explore how to communicate with BEV owners about the potential benefits of bidirectional capabilities.

SDG&E’s service territory, which encompasses 25 communities in San Diego and southern Orange Counties, represents one of the largest Toyota BEV and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) ownership regions in California.

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The Golden State is the fastest-growing EV market in the nation, whic, according to the partners, makes it an excellent area in which to conduct the research.

“We are embracing the concept of an entire electrified ecosystem for our customers, and the ability for vehicles to integrate with the grid is an essential component of this ecosystem,” said Christopher Yang, group vice president, Toyota EV Charging Solutions.

“Working with leading utilities, such as SDG&E, will ensure that customers can continue to confidently charge at home. Toyota seeks to empower utilities to better anticipate and leverage the significant number of plug-in hybrid and BEVs on their grids, both as a growing source of energy demand and, in the future, energy supply.”

The V2G research will take place at SDG&E’s campus in San Diego, California, using Fermata Energy’s bidirectional charger and V2G platform.

SDG&E employs a clean transportation team that has implemented a variety of EV charging infrastructure programmes. To date, the company has installed more than 3,600 chargers at workplaces, schools, and parks, as well as industrial and commercial facilities.

SDG&E has also electrified more than 20% of its over-the-road fleet and works closely with many fleet operators to help them transition to EV fleets.

The pilot will also assist SDG&E in understanding the infrastructure needed to enable the rapid growth of EV charging infrastructure, both in public and private settings, and to further stabilise the power grid during peak hours.