San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) is testing vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities with Toyota bZ4X. The V2G research will explore bidirectional power flow technology that enables EV owners to both charge their vehicle’s batteries from the electric grid and discharge electricity from the batteries back to the grid.
The collaboration between SDG&E and Toyota’s Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions (EVCS) team aims to find synergies between the needs of EV owners and the needs of the electricity grid, as well as explore how to communicate with EV 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 EV and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) ownership regions in California. The Golden State is the fastest-growing EV market in the nation, making it an excellent area in which to conduct this 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 EVs 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.
With insight gained from the V2G research collaboration, SDG&E and Toyota aim to identify current and future customer benefits that can be achieved through new products and services. 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 stabilize the power grid during peak hours.
Currently, Toyota offers two mass-market EVs in the U.S. and Canada – the Toyota bZ4X and Lexus RZ 450e. Toyota recently announced plans for an all-new three-row EV SUV that will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky in 2025. By 2030, Toyota aspires to offer 30 EV models globally across its Toyota and Lexus brand nameplates and produce up to 3.5 million EVs annually.
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