Toyota Motor North America and Pepco, a local utility, have teamed up to conduct research on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities using a Toyota bZ4X.
The research will include studying bidirectional power flow technology for battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners who wish to charge their car batteries and send power back to the grid.
Toyota and Pepco aim to understand EV owners’ needs through studying their charging habits and vehicle usage.
Nearly 80 percent of EV owners charge their vehicles at home overnight when demand for energy is lower. Utilizing bidirectional technology, these cars have the ability to send power back to the grid during peak demand hours or other critical times.
“Bidirectional charging is a great way for customers to leverage their electric vehicles in a way that supports the grids and their home electricity ecosystem,” said Christopher Yang, group vice president, Toyota EV Charging Solutions, in a statement. “Working with Pepco will help us understand charging and discharging use-cases, which will ultimately benefit our customers and help utility providers better understand grid demands.”
Maryland has one of the fastest growing EV markets, with a goal of getting 300,000 EVs on its roads by 2025. Pepco plans to install 250 EV chargers across Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
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