Valeo develops reversible EV charger technology

When electric vehicles connect to a charging station, it’s normally to draw power from it to charge their batteries. Now, thanks to the ground-breaking reversible charger technology that Valeo has created, vehicles will be able to send power back.

At the 2019 Shanghai Motor Show, which concluded on April 25, the group demonstrated a reversible charger that enables electric vehicles to send surplus electricity to the grid using Vehicle to Grid (V2G) technology. That’s not all: the reverse charger also makes it possible to send electricity to a specific electric device, thanks to Vehicle to Load (V2L) technology.

Connected to a charging station developed jointly with the Chinese company Xcharge, it shows how electricity from the batteries can be re-injected into the grid. There is currently no solution to store unused energy, so Valeo’s reversible charger is a major step forward for electricity storage and management. V2G technology will therefore solve the electricity storage problem, provide support to energy utility companies, enable automakers and charging station suppliers to imagine new services.

By becoming an integral part of the power grid, electric vehicles can address both issues since vehicles are constantly delivering low voltage to the grid. Reducing CO2 emissions and improving air quality also remain a major concern in Chinese cities: 65% of respondents to a recent local study use personal protection against pollution in their car cabin.

In Shanghai, Valeo’s demo car also showcased an intelligent solution to detect and neutralise harmful pollutants inside a vehicle: dynamic digital monitoring of cabin air quality that can measure pollution levels, take preventive measures and anticipate maintenance. 

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