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Are you interested in using your electric vehicles battery to power your home? Imagine harnessing your vehicles energy to power your home while reducing your costs and carbon footprint. In this blog, we’ll explore Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology, helping you unlock new ways to maximise your EV’s potential.
V2L
First, lets take a quick look at what Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) is. Essentially, it allows you to use your EV as a massive battery pack to power devices on the go – much like a portable power bank for your phone but on a much larger scale. This means you can run a fridge while camping, operate tools at a job site, or even keep essential appliances running during a blackout.
Many modern EVs already support V2L, with more manufacturers adopting this technology. Some vehicles feature a built-in 10-amp power outlet, similar to what you’d find in your home. More commonly, EVs come with an adapter that connects to the vehicle’s Type 2 charging port, which has a standard plug on the other end.
V2H
Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) takes this concept a step further, enabling your EV to function like a home battery. This requires a bidirectional charger, which allows energy to flow both to and from your vehicle. When paired with solar panels, V2H can store excess solar energy during the day and power your home during peak hours, reducing electricity costs.
For added resilience, V2H systems can be installed with grid isolation equipment, allowing your EV to serve as a backup power source during blackouts – keeping essential appliances running and ensuring your home never goes dark.
V2G
The most advanced form of bidirectional charging is Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), where an EV not only powers a home but also exports energy directly to the grid. This allows owners to earn feed-in tariffs, similar to solar energy exports, or participate in virtual power plant (VPP) programs that support grid stability by supplying power during peak demand. As this technology continues to evolve, it promises exciting new possibilities, paving the way for a more dynamic and sustainable energy future.
Bidirectional Charging
Availability
To start using V2H and V2G you will need a compatible car, a compatible charger, and a compliant installation.
Up until this point, only a few vehicles using the older CHADEMO charging connector have had V2H and V2G capabilities, and while numerous trials have been done, it hasn’t yet been available to the mass market. However, this is going to rapidly change as more vehicles and chargers are developed using the newer ISO15118-20 bidirectional charging standard.
2025 is looking to be a year of promising rapid development for bidirectional charging. In 2024 new inverter standards were introduced which included bidirectional charging, bringing them in line with existing solar and battery installations. This means that charging hardware can now be cerified and compliant installations can be done. At Ocular Charging, we are working on the next generation of bidrectional products, keep an eye out and stay in touch for future updates.
Bidirectional charging offers you a great way to reduce your carbon emissions, lower your energy costs, and get more value out of your electric vehicles.
Click here for more information on our complete charger range, and we will see you on the road!
As electric vehicles are becoming rapidly more popular in Australia, the technology used to charge is also advancing. The use of smart charging stations in Australia is rapidly increasing as users are demanding easy-to-use home chargers. Previously, smart charging was reserved for larger, commercial chargers but now most of these valuable features can be utilised at home.
Smart charging is a system in which an electric vehicle, charging station and software or app communicate to share data. When these elements interact, the user will unlock insights into how the car and charger are both behaving, allowing the users to have a complete understanding of what is really happening after the EV is plugged in. More importantly, users will have remote access via an app for home chargers.
With so many features included in upgrading to a smart charger, how are each of these features a benefit to you?
We will explore the most beneficial features of smart charging.
One of the greatest and most helpful features of a smart charger is the ability to schedule charging sessions. Users can plug their cars into the charging station but delay starting the charging session.
There are many reasons to delay starting the charging session. For most homeowners, their energy provider offers off-peak energy rates at certain times of day. To use energy in the most cost-effective way, users can schedule charging to fall within this time frame to significantly reduce the costs of charging in the long term. Users can gain complete control when their charging starts, finishes and the maximum charge level. This schedule can be changed at any times to adjust to a busy life and changed plans.
Running an electric vehicle on solar power is every environmentalist dream. The feature of session scheduling makes this even easier. For workplaces or residential sites with renewable energy installed, the user can optimise the use of this through the scheduling feature. When solar power generation is at its peak, ensure your workplace fleet chargers are taking the most energy. Optimisation also applies to those with home solar systems and charging stations who will charge in peak generation times. Reduce your carbon footprint and costs by powering your home or fleet EV chargers without the grid!
Saving money on charging your electric vehicle is not limited to those with solar power or other renewable energy systems installed. Thanks to the great feature of scheduling, you can benefit from saving on energy costs. With the help of in-app statistics, the user is able gain information on charging behaviour and energy usage of the charger and EV. In combination with individual energy rates, users can create a charging plan on when it is most cost-effective such as to schedule their charging in off-peak periods and set a maximum charge level.
Smart charging allows the user to have access to live charge updates in the app. The user will be able to track when the charging session has started and stopped. This is valuable to those who plug and leave their cars in an out of sight area. For example, you will immediately know when your car has been unplugged and be able fix this. No more morning surprises of uncharged cars, finally have peace of mind.
If you are considering installing an EV charger for home, public, fleet, or heavy commercial, you will find the right charger in our range of AC and DC EV chargers. You can speak to us or look through our website for more information.
For a deeper understanding of all the features of a smart charging app, we made a YouTube video.
A home charging station is a dedicated ‘appliance’ which is connected directly into your home electric supply, a better option to an alternative charging solution of a portable charger which plugs into a domestic 10amp/240-volt outlet.
Charging stations are installed by an electrician and are mounted in the home- often a garage. Charging stations are not portable, therefore need to be installed where you park your car.
Charging stations offer a range of advanced features which improve the charging experience, inaccessible to users of portable chargers. The greatest advantage of upgrading from a portable charger to a home charger is the speed advancement.
Our home EV chargers provide 7kW power for single phase homes and 22kW for three phase homes whereas a standard portable charger will provide 2kW energy. Home charging stations will charge an EV much faster, so you don’t have to worry about the charge level of your electric vehicle in the morning.
Installing a reliable charging station will not increase your electricity bill. Your car will be drawing the same amount of energy but with a more efficient energy supply in a shorter time span. With a fast and reliable home charger, you will have less usage of paid public chargers and save money in the long run.
Charging stations are built to last, the highly rated casing of all our chargers will allow you to choose where to install- covered or outside and universal sockets will ensure your charger will last as you upgrade your EV.
Universal sockets do not have the charging cable tethered to the station therefore can be switched easily. Installing of a station now will future-proof your home as EV chargers become more popular and the technology advances.
Although a charging station requires installation by an electrician, Ocular chargers are specially designed to make this process as fast and simple enough for the electricians to get back to charging your EV sooner. You can speak to your local electrician about obtaining a Ocular charger for your home or through one of our suppliers.
If you are considering installing an EV charger for your home, You can speak to us or look through our website for more information.
