G.M to make all their E.Vs bidirectional

[ianwlk]

"General Motors said Tuesday that it planned to equip all its electric cars and trucks with the ability to act as backup power supplies during blackouts.

The decision to install two-way charging technology in Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC electric cars and trucks, enabling them to power homes in an emergency, shows how carmakers are marketing the vehicles as being not just cleaner than their gasoline counterparts but also more practical."

New York Times

 

[Rolfe]

That's a positive development. Another would be installing VtV discharging capability, so that any car with sufficient spare battery % could in effect "jump start" a car with a flat HV battery.

 

[val33]

That's a positive development. Another would be installing VtV discharging capability, so that any car with sufficient spare battery % could in effect "jump start" a car with a flat HV battery.

Any MG4 can already do that by using a V2L adaptor and the granny charger.

 

[Rolfe]

That's a thought. But wouldn't V2V be quicker?

 

[origin]

Ellon mush dream amerika dream

 

[Gadget Geek]

I think General Motors have seen what made the Ford F1 Lightning so popular, it wasn't the truck or being an EV, it was being a power backup for the appalling American electricity grid.

 

[Rolfe]

Still a good idea.

Mind you, if everybody starts charging up their cars overnight at 7p a unit, then using that electricity to power the house diring the day as well as for driving, how long will the power companies put up with it?

 

[ianwlk]

Still a good idea.

Mind you, if everybody starts charging up their cars overnight at 7p a unit, then using that electricity to power the house during the day as well as for driving, how long will the power companies put up with it?

Quite. Big disputes in California about this. And here, one reason that our standing charges are high and will remain high.

 

[Paul Walker]

Still a good idea.

Mind you, if everybody starts charging up their cars overnight at 7p a unit, then using that electricity to power the house diring the day as well as for driving, how long will the power companies put up with it?

Given the shortage of power stations, maybe the companies and government will just be grateful for people smoothing the grid—higher demand all around the clock!

 

[ianwlk]

Given the shortage of power stations, maybe the companies and government will just be grateful for people smoothing the grid—higher demand all around the clock!

Yes the potential for EVs to do this is vitally important but not being adequately planned for.

 

[Gomev]

Still a good idea.

Mind you, if everybody starts charging up their cars overnight at 7p a unit, then using that electricity to power the house diring the day as well as for driving, how long will the power companies put up with it?

Quite. Big disputes in California about this. And here, one reason that our standing charges are high and will remain high.

I'm sorry but I don't understand these comments. As far as I was aware this is precisely what the power companies / Grid are trying to achieve.

 

[Gadget Geek]

Bobby Llewellyn has interviewed people who are a lot cleverer than us, and they all say they have thought about, and planned for intermittent renewables on the grid.

The big issue is with financial investment. Investors like things to stay the same so they believe their money will be safe, this is why electricity prices are still controlled by the price of gas, even though it makes up less than 50% of the UK's generation (22% at time of writing). If the powers that be decide to change the pricing structure based on renewables, the investors will have a melt down and run for the hills, taking their billions with them.