Designing Efficient Motor Controllers for Electric Vehicles

What is an Electric Vehicle Controller? 

The world is continuously moving towards sustainable and greener transportation, and in the field of electric mobility, motor controllers play a fundamental role. A motor controller for EVs manages the power utilized by the electric motors. It forms the interface between the vehicle’s battery and motor as well as regulates the amount of power received by the latter in various conditions. Its functions mainly include power conversion, protection of the system including from overheating, torque and speed control, communication between components, regenerative braking, etc. 

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The EV motor controller market was valued at ₹436.28 billion as of and is expected to be worth approximately ₹1.996 trillion by , expanding at a CAGR of 16.12% during this forecast period. Major factors driving the growth of these controllers include new Indian governmental regulations such as Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicle (FAME) that have increased the acceptance of electric vehicles among private and public sector organizations. Also, various incentives for automotive IT solutions through the electric vehicle subsidy system are promoting the development of electric vehicle components, charging infrastructure, and research and development. 

Expanding market size of motor controller in electric vehicle during the - forecast period 

Brief Account of EV Motor Controller 

Types 

Choosing the right type of motor controller is directly associated with its specific application in the electric vehicle as well as the characteristics of the motor. This aids in achieving optimal energy efficiency and vehicle performance. Given below are some types of motor controllers – 

Brushless DC Motor Controllers 

BLDC motor controllers operate on direct and indirect Field Oriented Control algorithms. The DFOC requires sensors for precise torque control, speed control of the rotor and magnetic flux. The IFOC estimates the phase angle of the rotor magnetic field flux and does not require additional sensors. These controllers are cost-effective solutions with sophisticated algorithms for real-time actuating as per safety standards and high-computing capabilities during long-term duty times and complex situations. Although BLDC controllers are efficient and reliable for longer durations, they are slightly expensive to manufacture in comparison to other types of controllers. 

AC Induction Motor Controllers 

AC IM controllers regulate the operation of AC induction motors that are commonly used for propulsion in electric vehicles. They efficiently manage the motor’s direction, speed, and torque by controlling and adjusting the amplitude as well as the frequency of power received by the motor. Also, these controllers convert direct current (DC) power supplied by the vehicle’s battery into alternating current (AC), as this allows smooth acceleration and deceleration of the electric vehicle. This functionality also supports regenerative braking for returning the energy back to the battery during the application of brakes. They are quite reliable and utilize electromagnetism to run electric vehicles to optimize efficiency, improve performance, and manage energy amongst the vehicles’ components, but they require precision in controlling and continuous monitoring while handling machinery. 

Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Controller 

PMSM controllers use magnets to synchronize power delivery, thus making them the best choice for most of the electric vehicles. They are preferred in terms of energy utilization and conservation but require complex control systems and are made of expensive rare-earth magnets such as Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) that offer high magnetic strength for ideal motor performance, or more stable Samarium-Cobalt (SmCo) with high resistance to de-magnetization and operate well in high-temperature environments. 

Features 

For smooth functioning of an electric vehicle, there are certain factors, such as the electric vehicle controller power rating, that need to match its needs for optimal performance while being compatible with the motor. It should operate on communication protocols that are aligned with other components of the vehicle for the ease of integration. The controller must be capable of thermal management, protecting components from current and voltage fluctuations and supporting regenerative braking. The following are the key features that need to be considered while designing and developing a motor controller for EV – 

Power Converter 

The controller must be compatible in terms of voltage range and should be able to convert direct current (DC) received from the battery into alternating current (AC) in cases of AC motors, which are most common in electric vehicles. Thus, it is important to choose the motor controller with matching power requirements or the most suitable power rating for an electric vehicle to avoid the risk of overtemperature and otherwise. 

Torque Control 

It controls the amount of power incoming from the battery as per the input provided by the driver, such as the accelerator pedal, determining the speed of the vehicle and its acceleration. It seamlessly regulates the voltage and the current’s frequency sent to the motor, thus controlling the torque and speed produced by the motor. 

Regenerative Braking 

This is a common feature of modern electric vehicles where the motor converts kinetic energy back into usable electrical energy during braking. While it acts as a generator, the electric vehicle controller manages this process so that the vehicle gets recharged as and when it is slowed down, thus allowing cost optimization. 

Sample workflow of a motor controller for electric vehicle 

System Protection 

This component ensures that the motor, battery, and the whole system, including the 360 degree camera for car, stay protected against damage caused by overheating, over or under voltage and current, accidental fire, short circuit, or system failure, using certain features by shutting down the system, limiting power received by the motor, thermal management using thermal sensors, isolation monitoring for insulation between high and low-voltage circuits, activating a failsafe mechanism, motor lock in case of stalled motors, and cooling systems like fans or liquid cooling against over temperature. 

Communication 

It maintains proper communication between vehicle components, such as the battery monitoring system, which helps in energy optimization, maintaining battery health, identifying faults such as faulty sensors and electrical wiring, providing warnings to the driver and onboard diagnostics system regarding the same, and improving the overall efficiency of the vehicle’s performance. For harmonious working of all components and safe driving, the motor controller must be able to communicate vital information through protocols like CAN Bus for seamless integration with the electric vehicle’s control system. 

Key Considerations for Designing EV Motor Controller 

While designing a motor controller, it is important to consider the type and topology of the motor, microcontrollers, software involved, power electronics components, driver circuits, communication protocols, and sensors. Given below is a brief account of the key considerations for designing motor controllers. 

Control Algorithms  

A control algorithm refers to the logic that determines the regulation of power flow, motor speed and torque control by the controller, which is directly dependent on the motor type, its features, expected performance outcome, hardware resources available and other criteria. Few control algorithms are – 

1. Direct Torque Control: DTC is a vector control method that directly controls the motor flux and torque without the aid of a current regulator or coordinate transformation. Here, the vector control method refers to separating the current into two components, each for flux and torque for quick, precise motor control and responsiveness. DTC utilizes a hysteresis controller for the motor’s voltage vector selection, alongside a switching table, as per the error between the actual and reference values of the flux and torque. This eliminates the requirement of any complex microcontroller and position sensor and makes it suitable for AC motors like PMSMs and AC IMs. Although they may feature acoustic noise, variable frequency of switching, and excessive torque ripple at times. 

2. Field-Oriented Control: This vector control method decouples the stator current of the motor into DC that controls flux and quadrature current, controlling the torque. We discussed earlier that the BLDC electric vehicle controller utilizes FOC algorithms for independent and precise control of the motor’s torque and speed for dynamic response. It is also used for controlling AC IMs, and PMSMs, but requires a fast microcontroller and position sensor for regulating current and implementing coordinate transformation. This transformation basically converts the motor’s three-phase AC currents into a two-axis system using Clarke and Park transforms to simply motor control through independent control of flux and torque components, thus enabling vector control methods. 

3. Sinusoidal Control: This is a scalar control method applicable to sinusoidal AC voltage received by the motor that changes the amplitude and frequency of voltage as per the torque and speed input commands. It is suitable for smooth and efficient performance of PMSMs that have sinusoidal back EMF waveforms for regenerative braking. However, they require a position sensor, a fast microcontroller for sinusoidal modulation, and high computations and provide a lower dynamic response in comparison. Here, the back electromotive force (EMF) waveform refers to the voltage induced in the EV motor’s windings or stator cells that opposes the applied voltage, as the rotor spins and the magnets create a changing magnetic field. 

4. Trapezoidal Control: This is a scalar control method that is applicable to constant DC voltage supplied to the motor, where the voltage is commutated as per the rotor’s position. Since BLDC motors have a trapezoidal back EMF waveform, this algorithm is suitable for them, while they do require a simple microcontroller and position sensor for implementing the commutation logic and experience poor torque control in comparison. Back EMF increases with motor speed and is utilized by controllers for regulation and energy recovery during regenerative braking. 

Robustness 

A motor controller’s robustness refers to its ability to maintain optimal performance exhibited by the motor as well as its stability under normal or uncertain conditions. At times, load torque, sensor noise, variations in power supply, certain motor parameters and environmental adversities may cause disturbances and uncertainty in its performance. Through the following methods, the motor controller’s robustness can be increased – 

1. Adaptive Control: This technique is useful for dealing with variations, disturbances, and uncertainties in the system, including vehicle control unit, caused by different types of sources. It estimates the state of the system or online identification to adjust the parameters or inputs of motor controller for electric vehicle. This may include regulator gains, voltage changes, motor flux, resistance etc. It improves the overall robustness and adaptability of the motor and requires a sensor, estimator, or identifier for implementing the algorithm. 

2. Feedforward Control: In this technique, the effects of disturbances and uncertainties can be anticipated and canceled for improving the motor’s robustness. The disturbance in the system estimated using sensors that can be a part of vehicle detection systems, including motor temperature, load torque, etc., can be utilized to adjust the input of the system, such as frequency or voltage of power electronics in a feedforward loop. 

3. Feedback Control: This technique uses the estimated output of the system to adjust the input of the system. For example, the motor’s current or speed can be used to adjust the frequency or voltage of power electronics. It requires a sensor to implement the feedback loop and can compensate for the uncertainties while improving the motor’s stability and accuracy. 
  

Various types of control strategies to be considered in designing electric vehicle controller 

Temperature Handling 

Thermal control and heat dissipation of power electronics and the motor are managed by motor controller in electric vehicle for ensuring the system’s longevity and required output. It depends on the following factors – 

1. Power Losses: Due to mechanical and electrical inefficiencies in the motor, there may be loss of power, resulting in heat generation, such as losses due to friction, switching, resistance, etc. It depends on motor type, features, and operating conditions like voltage, switching frequency, speed, torque, and modulation scheme. 

2. Thermal Resistance: The system’s heat flow is determined by thermal resistance as well as the heat transfer from heat sources like power electronics and motors to heat sinks like cooling systems or ambient air. Whereas these properties change with respect to the system’s materials, geometry, insulation between components, thermal contact, and cooling methods like liquid cooling and forced or natural convection. 

3. Thermal Stress: This system’s thermal and temperature-related stress is caused by thermal expansion and heat distribution. Their dependency is mainly on thermal gradient, equilibrium, coefficients of components, protection, temperature limits, and fault detection mechanisms. It directly affects the system’s reliability and overall performance. 

Safety 

It is of utmost importance to ensure that the motor controller for electric vehicle operates reliably and safely to prevent and mitigate damage caused by system failure. One can consider the below aspects for safety and fault detection mechanisms – 

1. Fault Type: These include classification of various types of faults and their causes, such as overtemperature, overvoltage, overcurrent, failure of sensors, error in software, ground fault, short or open circuits, environmental conditions, human intervention, load, etc. that lead to the origin of undesired conditions. 

2. Fault Detection: This includes techniques that are used to identify and locate system failures observed through its signals and symptoms, including error codes, voltage, current, temperature readings, etc. Fault diagnosis is directly dependent on measurement devices, sensors, fault models, indicators, detection algorithms, and methods that may be AI-enabled, threshold-based, or model-based. 

3. Fault Recovery: All the strategies and actions required for mitigating impacts such as damage, downtime, or injury caused by system failure. Fault protection depends on protection devices, driver circuits, fault isolation, tolerance mechanism, recovery methods like reconfiguration, restart, shutdown, self-healing etc. 

Controller Design 

Let us explore further on how to design and develop a motor controller and the factors to consider in the below section – 

1. Motor Type: Choosing the characteristics and requirements of the motor controller directly depends on the type and topology of the motor, including its size, cost, weight, and efficiency. Let us take an example, PMSM and BLDC motors are dependent on three-phase inverters consisting of size switches to convert direct current voltage supplied by the battery to alternating current voltage received by the motor. On the other hand, IMs need variable frequency drives for controlling the amplitude, and frequency of AC voltage. 

2. Control Strategy: Choosing control algorithms directly impacts the regulation of power flow, motor torque, and speed by the electric vehicle controller. Some common control methods for AC motors include vector control, direct torque, scalar control, and FOC, Sinusoidal and trapezoidal controls are for PMSM and BLDC motors that directly affect the complexity, computations, and performance of the controller. 

3. Components: The safety, integration, networks, reliability, cost, power density, and functionality of the motor controller are determined by the appropriate software (libraries, firmware, development tools) and hardware (microcontrollers, transistors, voltage sensors, gate drivers, communication interface) components chosen. 

Applications of EV Motor Controller 

In the above sections, we have talked about how these controllers are necessary for the optimal operations and performance of electric vehicles. Let us now delve into the various applications of the same in different industries. 

1. Electric Cars: Motor controllers regulate motor torque, speed, and power sent to the electric vehicle as per the driver’s input or otherwise, such as in the case of autonomous driving systems. They optimize battery usage and manage energy flow between the motor and regenerative braking system. 

2. Electric Bicycles: eBikes utilize these controllers to adjust the motor’s power output to assist with pedaling speed within legal limits and effort for smooth acceleration and safety. 

3. Electric Scooters: Electric scooters and mopeds regulate efficient power delivery to wheels and ensure driver safety and protection against overcurrent, overtemperature, faults, etc., by using motor controller in electric vehicle. 

4. Electric Boats: Electric marine vehicles and boats utilize these to manage propulsion systems over water for efficient boat speed, power optimization, and electricity flow between the components. 

5. AGVs: These are used in electrified automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for managing the vehicle’s speed and movement, energy consumption during the transportation of material around warehouses and manufacturing units. 

6. Electric Trains: These controllers regulate electric traction motors to manage power for starting, stopping, maintaining speed, and regenerative braking on railway tracks. 

7. Electric Aircraft: Electric vehicle take-off and landing (eVTOL) utilize these controllers to manage propulsion systems such as lift and thrust motors of aircraft and balancing power consumption between motors as per the flight phase. 

8. Electric Forklifts: Material handling equipment such as electric forklifts ensure energy efficiency while lifting heavy loads alongside operational cost reduction. 

9. Public Transit: Automated transportation systems such as electrified trams and metro systems are assured of smooth acceleration, deceleration, braking, energy management, and performance optimization over long distances using these controllers. 

10. Electric Construction Equipment: These controllers are also used in various construction machinery, equipment, and vehicles like bulldozers and excavators for energy efficiency, management of large motors, and reduction of emissions in construction sites. 

Conclusion 

Vehicle-to-grid, or V2G for short, is a technology that enables energy to be pushed back to the power grid from the battery of an electric vehicle (EV). With V2G technology, an EV battery can be discharged based on different signals – such as energy production or consumption nearby.

V2G technology powers bi-directional charging, which makes it possible to charge the EV battery and take the energy stored in the car’s battery and push it back to the power grid. While bi-directional charging and V2G are often used synonymously, there is a slight difference between the two.

While bi-directional charging means two-way charging (charging and discharging), V2G technology only enables the flow of the energy from the car’s battery back to the grid.

How about V2X?

Besides V2G, there is another abbreviation often mentioned in relation to bi-directional charging - V2X. V2X means vehicle-to-everything. It includes many different use cases, such as vehicle-to-home (V2H), vehicle-to-building (V2B) and vehicle-to-load (V2L) services.

Depending on whether you want to use electricity from an EV battery in your home or an office building, there are different abbreviations for each of these use cases. Your EVs can work for you, even when feeding back to the grid isn’t the case for you.

In a nutshell, the idea behind V2G is similar to regular smart charging. Smart charging, also known as V1G charging, enables us to control the charging of EVs in a way that allows the charging power to be increased and decreased when needed.

Vehicle-to-grid goes one step further and enables the charged power also to be momentarily pushed back to the grid from car batteries to balance variations in energy production and consumption.

Long story short, V2G helps mitigate climate change by allowing our energy system to balance more and more renewable energy. However, to succeed in tackling the climate crisis, three things need to happen in the energy and mobility sectors: Decarbonisation, energy efficiency, and electrification.

In the context of energy production, decarbonisation refers to the deployment of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. This introduces the problem of energy storage. While fossil fuels can be seen as a form of energy storage as they release energy when burned, wind and solar power function differently. 

This energy should be either used when it’s produced or then stored for later usage. As renewable energy production increasingly makes its way into our energy system, it creates more volatility and a need for new ways of balancing and storing renewable energy.

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Simultaneously, the transportation sector is doing its fair share of carbon reduction. A notable proof of that is the number of EVs on our roads, which is steadily increasing. In , 14% of all cars sold were electric, while that number was only 5% in .

EV batteries are by far the most cost-efficient form of energy storage since they require no additional investments in hardware. With V2G, we can utilise the battery capacity up to 10x more efficiently than with regular smart charging. Vehicle-to-grid technology enables us to make the best use of the existing population of vehicles.

And by , there could be up to 250 million EVs globally. That means that we’ll have around 250 million tiny energy storages on wheels. Research actually shows that by the end of this decade, EV batteries should be able to meet the demand for short-term energy storage.

Virta's vision for V2G solutions

Stationary energy storages — big power banks in a sense — are becoming more common. They are a handy way of storing energy from, for instance, large solar power plants. According to predictions, 6% of global electricity production could be stored in batteries within the upcoming 20 years.

For example, Tesla and Nissan offer home batteries for consumers. These home batteries, together with solar panels and home EV charging stations, are a great way to balance out energy production and consumption in detached houses or small communities. 

Pump stations are another common form of energy storage. Water is continuously pumped up and down to produce and store the produced energy.

On a larger scale, and compared to electric vehicles aka batteries on wheels, these energy storages are more expensive to supply and require significant investments. As the number of EVs is continuously rising, electric cars provide a much better option with no extra costs.

At Virta, we believe that electric cars are simply the smartest way to help with renewable energy management and production, as EVs will be part of our lives in the future — regardless of the ways we choose to use them.

Photo illustrating two colleagues at Virta working with a V2G charger in a parking garage. Photo/Credits by Ville Vappula.

When it comes to using V2G in practice, the most important thing is to make sure that EV drivers have enough energy in their car batteries when they need it. For example, a driver must be able to make a trip to work and back, at any time.

This is the basic requirement of V2G and any other charging technology: The EV driver must be able to communicate when they want to unplug the car and how full the battery should be at that time.

With Virta’s V2G solution, the car battery is always charged to 70-90% when the driver needs to go.

When using smart charging, the possibility of balancing the grid ends when the battery is fully charged. With V2G, the grid balancing can continue the full time the vehicle is plugged in.

Private charging (at home or at work) is ideal for V2G as the time the vehicle is connected to the charger is long. This makes it possible to control the charging and discharging during the most suitable times for the electrical system.

How does electricity move?

First things first; let’s go through the very basics of how electricity behaves in the grid — it always takes the shortest possible way to the nearest location where it’s needed. A vehicle-to-grid charging device absorbs electricity from the car battery and simply just pushes it back to the grid, where it continues its journey to the nearest location where it’s needed.

A practical example: At the Virta HQ

At Virta HQ, we currently have seven V2G charging stations in use. These stations are located in the office building garage, next to regular, publicly available smart charging stations.

When the V2G station is discharging, the electricity here at Virta HQ transfers directly to the nearby car batteries charging at the regular stations — they are the nearest locations where the electrical demand is continuous.

If no cars are being charged, the discharged electricity will be used on garage lighting or air conditioning. This reduces the total energy consumption of the building, which balances the energy system around our office.

Let us take you on a virtual tour at Virta HQ to test our V2G charging solution:

...and at our customer's premises

Another example of V2G deployment is the eFuture project where Virta enabled Nissan to kickstart vehicle-to-grid (V2G) EV charging together with E.ON.

We provided a digital EV charging platform for E.ON that automates charging and energy export in line with signals such as grid demand, energy prices, and the carbon intensity of the energy mix, to test the effectiveness of V2G on a larger scale, in real conditions, with 20 V2G chargers.

The aim of this project, which started in the UK in , was to demonstrate that V2G is a viable, sustainable and profitable solution for businesses.

During the project, vehicles were connected to the V2G chargers at intervals designed to replicate corporate fleet schedules – mainly overnight, but also for chunks of time during the day.

Summary of the benefits depending on your targets:

• Reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) of fleets
• Car OEMs (manufacturers) can sell vehicles with added value
• Energy market parties can trade and optimise their balance
• Network operators can optimise investments & stabilise the grid

For real estate

When installing a charging station, step number one is to review the electrical system of the building. The electrical connection can become a hindrance to the EV charging installation project or increase costs significantly in case the connection needs to be upgraded.

Vehicle-to-grid, as well as other smart energy management features like Dynamic Load Management (DLM), help enable EVs to charge anywhere, regardless of the surroundings, location, or premise. 

The benefits of V2G for buildings are visible when the electricity from car batteries is used where it is needed the most (as described in the previous chapter). Vehicle-to-grid helps balance out electricity demand and avoid any unnecessary costs for expanding the electricity system. 

With V2G, the momentary electricity consumption spikes in the building can be balanced with the help of EVs and no extra energy needs to be consumed from the grid.

For the power grid

When power consumption increases, it can overload the power grid in the area. A building’s ability to balance its electricity demand with V2G charging stations also helps out the power grid on a larger scale. 

This will come in handy when the amount of renewable energy in the grid, produced with wind and solar, increases. Renewable energy sources are volatile and create challenges in areas that rely on wind and solar power.

These circumstances cause “grid congestion” or bottlenecks that can prevent electricity from reaching its destination. Luckily, smartly controlled EVs can offer a solution to grid congestion and prevent the need for expensive grid infrastructure upgrades.

Without vehicle-to-grid technology, energy has to be bought from reserve power plants, which increases electricity prices during peak hours, since striking up these extra power plants is a pricey procedure. Plus majority of these reserve power plants produce carbon energy. 

Without control, you need to accept this given price but with V2G you can optimise your costs and profits. In other words, V2G enables energy companies to play ping pong with electricity in the grid.

For fleets

Fleet operators can enroll into a V2G program and generate extra revenue as utilities will pay fleets for discharging their car's batteries. At the same time, your fleet can help balance the energy grid.

With vehicle-to-grid, fleets can use their vehicles as temporary energy storages. This can be especially helpful if your business relies mainly on building operations. In case of a lack of power or even a power outage, energy can be stored in your vehicles and discharged into your business's building whenever necessary.

For EV drivers

Why would individual EV drivers take part in vehicle-to-grid as a demand response then? As we explained earlier, it does no harm to them, but does it any good either?

Since vehicle-to-grid solutions are expected to become a financially beneficial feature for energy companies, they have a clear incentive to encourage consumers to take part. 

After all, the technology, devices, and vehicles compatible with the V2G technology are not enough – consumers need to take part, plug in and enable their car batteries to be used for V2G. 

Similarly to fleets, individual EV drivers can also benefit from extra earnings for storing excess energy in their vehicles and selling it back to electricity networks.

We're soon about to see V2G solutions commercially available. But there is a lot of development to be done before this technology becomes the mainstream energy management tool.

A. V2G technology and devices

Multiple hardware providers have developed device models compatible with vehicle-to-grid technology. Just like any other charging devices, V2G chargers already come in many shapes and sizes.

Usually, the maximum charging power is around 11 kW — just enough for home or workplace charging. But we can also find V2G chargers with charging power up to 15 kW. In the future, even wider charging solutions will apply.

Vehicle-to-grid charging devices are DC (direct current) chargers, since this way the cars' own unidirectional on-board chargers can be bypassed. There have also been projects where a vehicle has an onboard DC charger and the vehicle can be plugged into an AC charger. However, this is not a common solution today.

To wrap up, devices exist and are feasible, yet there's still room for improvement as the technology matures.

B. V2G compatible vehicles

Currently, CHAdeMo electric vehicle OEMs, such as Nissan, have outpaced other car manufacturers by bringing V2G compatible car models to the market. All Nissan Leafs and Nissan e-NV200 can be discharged with vehicle-to-grid stations. Mitsubishi also joined the club with its Outlander PHEV and iMiev models, which are now also V2G compatible.

Some other car models with V2G capabilities are Peugeot iON and Citroën C0.

The ability to support V2G is a real opportunity for OEMs and many more of them will hopefully join the club of vehicle-to-grid compatibles soon.

For example, Ford is planning to commercialise V2G with their F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck and Hyundai with their IONIQ 5 model while Volkswagen is also implementing the ISO- standard in their vehicles.

Compatibility with the CCS standard is planned to become commercialised by .

Does V2G affect car battery life?

Some V2G opponents claim that using V2G technology makes car batteries less long-lasting. The claim itself is a bit strange, as car batteries are being drained daily anyways – as the car is used, the battery is discharged so we can drive around. Research actually shows that EV battery degradation can be recuded by one-eight with careful charging and discharging. The EV battery lifecycle and the impact of V2G on it are studied constantly. Learn more about V2G & EV battery life

C. Cooperation: Car manufacturers and the energy sector must step in

Vehicle-to-grid is only one (but very impactful) example of the energy management possibilities that EVs offer us for the future. The thing is that energy and mobility sectors will converge in the future, with or without V2G. We believe that it is with.

However, big wheels turn slowly, and there is some resistance to change. Nissan is showing a great example to other car manufacturers to start cooperating with the energy sector in order to develop something new and life-changing and to look boldly into the future. The car industry is going through a revolution like never before. Combining forces with the energy sector offers the car industry a chance to begin a new heyday.

The same goes for the energy sector: As energy efficiency increases and more renewables step in, the ongoing change will be drastic for the electrical grid. The energy sector must find new ways to balance energy production and consumption. Luckily, EVs are ready to lend a hand.

D. European standards that make EV charging easier

The demand response markets in Europe are growing at over 20% growth rate. V2G is one of the most promising tools in the demand response markets. No wonder that the V2G market is projected to grow to over $5 billion by .

At the moment, the V2G is still a project-based business, but this is all about to change. V2G will soon become a commercially profitable business, and there will be more and more V2G companies surfacing.  

The European ISO -20 standard defines a vehicle-to-grid communication interface for bi-directional charging and enables bi-directional power transfer for multiple cars.

In practice, with standards like these, EV charging becomes smarter, more efficient and more convenient. This means that EV battery capacity for energy management will grow heavily in the next couple of years.

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

The first V2G projects are running, and vehicle-to-grid solutions are being implemented. V2G will become a vital solution first in locations where the energy system is the most volatile.

The most important thing, despite the location, is that the installed charging devices are smart – otherwise, all of the smart energy management features will be inaccessible.

As soon as the V2G technology becomes the norm, EVs will also be able to support the grid in a state of emergency. If extreme weather conditions cause power outages, electric vehicles can maintain power for basic needs until the problem is fixed. This will make the electricity system less vulnerable and less dependent on external conditions.

Now we just need all the players to start making the most of the largest and most cost-efficient energy storage that we have – electric vehicles.

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