Most cars are standing around for up to 23 hours a day. During this time, the batteries of electric cars could be used to store electricity. The idea behind this is known as 'vehicle-to-grid', or V2G for short. How does this work? Electric cars are not just plugged in for charging – they are intelligently linked to the power grid.
Electric cars are a possible answer to the question of future energy storage. Most cars are standing around for up to 23 hours a day. During this time, the batteries of electric cars could be used to store electricity. The idea behind this is known as 'vehicle-to-grid', or V2G for short. How does this work?
Electric cars can themselves become a battery and store electricity. In smart power grids, they take in energy and then discharge it again, on demand. Electric mobility therefore has huge potential to help with the energy transition. The energy transition is in full swing, with more and more electricity obtained from renewable energy.
Volkswagen is also working on technology that would enable its electric cars to charge and also discharge energy, so that a car's spare energy could flow back into the house to temporarily cover energy demand. Volkswagen has already carried out a successful pilot project with the Fraunhofer Institute.
If, on the other hand, there is excess energy, the electric car can be charged at a higher power level. Volkswagen is also working on technology that would enable its electric cars to charge and also discharge energy, so that a car's spare energy could flow back into the house to temporarily cover energy demand.
Instead, it uses sunlight or the mechanical vibrations produced by vehicles to generate electrical energy. Energy harvested from roads captures unused ambient energy and converts it to electric power. This electricity can then be used to power road infrastructure such as lights and signals.