Ferroamp launches V2G charger

Electric car batteries that contribute with capacity when the power demand is high can become a crucial part of the flexible electricity grid. Although car companies have not yet opened up to discharging electric car batteries to support the electricity grid, Swedish Ferroamp is now releasing a brand-independent V2G charging box.

“There is a huge potential in V2G when it comes to contributing stability to the electricity grid, but also when it comes to increasing the value of the investment in an electric car. Ferroamp V2X provides fast and easy charging while also helping to keep electricity costs down for the property owner,” says Kent Jonsson, CEO, Ferroamp.

Ferroamp’s new electric car charger is called Ferroamp V2X. V2X is a collective name that shows that the vehicle can not only discharge to the electricity grid (V2G) but also to the property or other vehicles and appliances. The Ferroamp V2X is a DC charger that bypasses the car’s on-board charger. This means that it can charge in and out faster, and with lower energy losses, than a standard AC charger. The conversion to alternating current does not take place in the car or in the charger, but in the Ferroamp system’s EnergyHub inverter. It also means that the issue of grid codes and certificates, which could otherwise be an obstacle in V2G, has already been solved.

In addition, it means that no special adaptations are required to the car. In pilot tests, Ferroamp V2X has been used on several different brands, including Tesla, BMW, and Polestar with successful results. What remains for the technology to have an impact is for car manufacturers to implement the standard protocol ISO 15118-20 and allow the cars to be discharged.

“We want to show that there are no technical barriers when it comes to discharge. We hope that this puts pressure on car manufacturers to implement the developed standard for V2G.  There is an interest among customers, a need in the electricity grid and now also chargers on the market,” says Björn Jernström, founder of Ferroamp.