EV charging hardware manufacturer Wallbox has taken a step towards the day that EV drivers will be able to use the batteries in their vehicles to provide backup power for their homes and to save money on their electric bills. The company is now taking pre-orders for its new bidirectional DC charger, the Quasar 2, for eligible Kia EV9 owners and lessees.
The Quasar 2, along with the Wallbox Power Recovery Unit, enables the Kia EV9’s battery to provide backup power to a home. (The EV9 comes with either a 76.1 or 99.8 kWh pack, and typical daily residential energy use in the US is around 25-30 kWh, so the system could power an entire house for three days or so.)
If you are fortunate enough to live in a place where your local utility offers time-of-use pricing, you can charge your EV when rates are low, and discharge energy to your home during peak hours. The Quasar 2 also enables an EV to be charged directly from a solar installation—this can save you money if your local utility’s net metering policy is disadvantageous.
This fascinating product represents a step in the right direction, but at the moment it’s probably suitable for early adopters only. For now it’s designed to work with only one EV model—the Kia EV9—and it will initially be sold in “limited quantities” in California, Texas, Florida, New York, Washington, New Jersey and Illinois.
The CCS1 connector supports both AC and DC charging. Maximum power transfer is 12.8 kW in both directions—about what you’d expect from a home Level 2 AC unit. (No, it’s not feasible to do DC fast charging at home.)
Quasar 2, including the Power Recovery Unit, will retail from $6,440, excluding taxes and installation fees. Installation may require permits and/or utility approval, and must be done by Wallbox’s official installation provider, COIL, or “another certified third-party installation provider.”
Source: Wallbox
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