- This topic has 12 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 4 months, 2 weeks ago by
.
- Topic
This one for @Kezo, the later EV Kia/Hyundai, are V2G compatible, the cost of directional EV coming on the market are now affordable, what is involved to change a standard (in my instance Podpoint) 7kW 32 amp EV charger to a V2h/V2G charger, I assume a G99 licence would be involved.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally I get confused and often say the wrong thing.
- Replies
Hardware Replacement
New Bidirectional Charger: You need a specific V2H/V2G compatible charger (e.g., Wallbox Quasar, Ford Charge Station Pro, or specific SigenStor units). Standard AC chargers like your Pod Point cannot manage the two-way power conversion required for V2H/V2G.
DC Conversion: The new unit handles the power conversion from AC (grid/home) to DC (EV battery) and back from DC (EV battery) to AC (home/grid) outside the vehicle, unlike standard home AC chargers that use the car’s onboard converter.
Additional Electrical Equipment: The new system will require extra components, such as a smart meter to accurately track energy flow and additional grid isolation equipment (like an automatic transfer switch for V2H backup power) to safely manage the bidirectional flow of electricity.Vehicle Compatibility
Bidirectional Capability: Your EV must be capable of bidirectional charging. This is a feature of specific EVs, such as the Nissan Leaf (which uses the CHAdeMO connector) or certain Hyundai, Kia, and VW models (using CCS).
Connector Standard: Most V2G/V2H technology currently uses the CHAdeMO connector, although CCS-compatible units are emerging (e.g., specific Ford and VW systems). You must ensure your car’s connector matches the new charger.Installation and Regulatory Requirements
Professional Installation: A qualified and licensed electrician specializing in V2H/V2G installations is essential.
Home Electrical Assessment: The installer will need to assess your home’s existing electrical system, potentially requiring upgrades to the consumer unit or main panel to safely accommodate the new setup.
DNO and Energy Supplier Approval: You will need permission from your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to export power to the grid (for V2G). You also need a specific V2G energy tariff from your energy supplier to benefit financially.
Software and Commissioning: The new charger will need commissioning to ensure it communicates correctly with the energy management system and the grid/home infrastructure via a uniform software language (e.g., OCPP).Summary
You cannot simply “change” or upgrade your existing Pod Point 7kW charger to a bidirectional system. The process involves removing the current unit and installing a completely new, more complex, and significantly more expensive bidirectional charger along with associated electrical modifications and permissions.Hardware Replacement New Bidirectional Charger: You need a specific V2H/V2G compatible charger (e.g., Wallbox Quasar, Ford Charge Station Pro, or specific SigenStor units). Standard AC chargers like your Pod Point cannot manage the two-way power conversion required for V2H/V2G. DC Conversion: The new unit handles the power conversion from AC (grid/home) to DC (EV battery) and back from DC (EV battery) to AC (home/grid) outside the vehicle, unlike standard home AC chargers that use the car’s onboard converter. Additional Electrical Equipment: The new system will require extra components, such as a smart meter to accurately track energy flow and additional grid isolation equipment (like an automatic transfer switch for V2H backup power) to safely manage the bidirectional flow of electricity.
Hi Paul very interesting we realise our old Podpoint will not be suitable, however I was expecting it to be more complicated.So we are partway there, we do have solar panels and AC Solax 5.8 battery standard G98 installation, our battery cannot export back to the grid plus the whole system shuts down in a power cut, but not the additional grid isolation equipment.
It is something we are looking at at the end of our current lease, I was considering adding an additional Solax battery (about £1500 installed) and grid back up (about £500) approximately £2,000, a new V2G EV charger installed probably costing about the same. There are several installer locally with the necessary qualification and experience.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally I get confused and often say the wrong thing.
V2G will most certainly require G99 licience, although V2G is still in its infancy, facing regularty hurdles. The AI response above is mainly centred around the North American market J1772 CCS1 (Type 1) 5 pin connector. Fords charge station Pro is based around the F150 lightning truck and Wallbox targeted with Kia (EV9) usrs with the Quasar 2, which costs in the region of $6500.
Chademo is the only charging protacol with bidirectional charging enabled as standard since its creation. On that subject, Wallbox do a Quasar bidirectional charger in europe, thats based on the Chademo protacol, costing around €7,000.
Sigenergy approach to bidirectional charger is based around a battery module and DC charging for the home, but its a tied in approach, so not suitable for those who already have battery storage.
Renault particularly the R5 has an interesting approach, which I can see evolving with other manufacturers. The cars onboard charger instead of AC-DC converter is now bidirectional and a V2L type plug is used which combined with what Renault calls the Mobilize Powerbox sits on the wall and acts as the centre splitter. Not sure its on UK R5’s, but vehicles with onboard bidirectional chargers open huge possibilities where third party systems can be used, but a bidirectional charger really isn’t much different to a Solax or any other hybrid inverter.
To answer what I think your asking would be to expand your current system, not only will it be cheaper, but will give V2X time to evolve and mature where integration with current PV/battery systems will be much simpler and third party adoption cheaper. Take V2L as an example, it can easily be integrated with a PV inverter, hence why onboard bidirectional will be a gamechanger.
Intercontrol are looking to come out with a range of V2X chargers next year, the domestic model will most like start at £3k + installation and addition intergration wont be cheap.
Bjorn Neylands video here https://youtu.be/yL2Axttwr94
An interesting read of V2G trial in the Netherlands:
If the aim is to charge at night, when the tariffs are low, and discharge during the day when they are high, wouldn’t it be simpler to have a wall-mounted battery installed instead?
By the way, when we had a Nissan Leaf, the dealer mentioned that Nissan offered used car batteries for domestic wall battery use. Does anyone know if this is still the case? I couldn’t find any reference to it.
Sent from a mobile device.
Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 (unhappy customer - Ombudsman pending)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (unhappy customer - early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019 (happy customer)To answer what I think your asking would be to expand your current system, not only will it be cheaper, but will give V2X time to evolve and mature where integration with current PV/battery systems will be much simpler and third party adoption cheaper. Take V2L as an example, it can easily be integrated with a PV inverter, hence why onboard bidirectional will be a gamechanger. Intercontrol are looking to come out with a range of V2X chargers next year, the domestic model will most like start at £3k + installation and addition intergration wont be cheap. Bjorn Neylands video here https://youtu.be/yL2Axttwr94 An interesting read of V2G trial in the Netherlands: https://urban-mobility-observatory.transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/two-european-cities-advance-vehicle-grid-v2g-solutions-2025-07-04_en
Humax MXG V2G-Ready 7kW home charger tethered 7.5m. HMX – A01T7 £582.00 + Vat
Zapotec Go 2 7.4kW Type 2 socket V2G EV £649.00 + VAT
I was wrong under the impression V2G was ready too go following Octopus Energy recent announcements, there are 2 reasonably priced bi-directional chargers on the market, obviously I was wrong. Would V2H be viable or is that also at the trial stage.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally I get confused and often say the wrong thing.
I was wrong under the impression V2G was ready too go following Octopus Energy recent announcements, there are 2 reasonably priced bi-directional chargers on the market, obviously I was wrong. Would V2H be viable or is that also at the trial stage.
I’m aware Octopus, BYD (Dolphin) & Zaptec Pro bidirectional charger have a V2G* leasing package and support from Kraken, which is responsible for Octopus’s intelligent tariffs, how many energy companies support such tariffs! Yes various products are available on the market, but is it at the mainstream or 1st gen Nissan leaf?
*Whils’t the Zaptec Pro meets ISO 151188, it does include bidirectional metering for energy export at the time of launch and I’m not aware of any updates to this. Zaptec Go 2 meets both these conditions and is a V2G ready AC charger.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/case-study-uk-electric-vehicle-grid-v2g-charging
@kezo not sure if your last response was to me. We had Nissan Leaf 2nd generation.
Sent from a mobile device.
Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 (unhappy customer - Ombudsman pending)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (unhappy customer - early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019 (happy customer)@kezo not sure if your last response was to me. We had Nissan Leaf 2nd generation.
I was trying to point out to @oscarmax that in my opinion V2G isn’t quite mainstream, but still at a the level of the first gen Leaf. Of course thats from my point and its not a industry, where I follow its progress closely if I’m honest. Any charging equipment must have a bidirectional converter to perform a similar role to a pv inverter and as such we will see V2G ready (think HD ready tv) chargers aswell as V2G chargers as the industry moves forward.
As to your earlier question, I know Nissan reprpose its Leaf battery’s through its partners EWaton in the US and I think Ecobat in the UK. Whether they have sold on a actual Leaf battery to the public, I find hard to believe, but from scrap yards is a different matter.
To give you an idea how such a battery can easily be used along with a informational video:
I have managed to look deeper into the Octopus V2G up coming tariff, apparently it works alongside the customers existing energy tariff the terms and conditions are quite restrictive. Octopus savings around £850 per year, unfortunately as we have solar panel/battery and Octopus Go tariff the saving would be nearer £150 per year, hardy worth the initial outlay and restrictive terms of use.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally I get confused and often say the wrong thing.
I have managed to look deeper into the Octopus V2G up coming tariff, apparently it works alongside the customers existing energy tariff the terms and conditions are quite restrictive. Octopus savings around £850 per year, unfortunately as we have solar panel/battery and Octopus Go tariff the saving would be nearer £150 per year, hardy worth the initial outlay and restrictive terms of use.
I’ve only had a quick glance over what it entails and my honest thoughts are, you have would less controll over V2G compared to what you would have with a typical PV battery system and in my mind this is still by far the more advanced system today with energy – what the future holds I don’t know!
Food for thought –
Whether V2G EV’s will be DC and rely on a device outside the vehicle to convert DC to AC power as that supplied by the grid.
Or whether it will be AC, where an EV’s battery is fed from an onboard bidirectional charger with its own inverter.
Would customers be happy with the EV having a AC bidirectional charger on board and for the car to do the conversion or would the customer prefer an external wall box to convert DC to AC. If the car is left to do the conversion, what happens in the event of a fault – would it be more difficult, more expensive to repair, compared to a box on the wall?
Does the future include selling a car with its own power deal with the carmaker being the electricity retailer or have a deal with an electricity supplier?
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.