Recently, Polestar, in collaboration with partners in the electricity grid sector, initiated a large-scale Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology project in Gothenburg, Sweden. The project, sponsored by the Swedish Innovation Agency and piloted on the all-electric SUV Polestar 3 model, explores the integration of electric vehicles into the grid by enabling them to feed electricity back into the grid.
The bidirectional charging and discharging technology allow the Polestar 3 not only to charge but also to release energy from its battery, delivering power back to homes or the grid system. To enhance the integration of V2G technology, Polestar is developing a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) that will connect all Polestar 3 vehicles plugged into the grid. This cloud-based VPP can calculate the collective capacity of connected batteries and optimize charging or discharging settings based on grid demands and battery life.
The testing phase of the Gothenburg pilot project is scheduled to commence in the first half of 2024 and will span two years. This initiative will involve collaboration with leading companies in the national and local energy infrastructure sectors, with the Polestar 3 serving as the pilot vehicle, making it one of the largest V2G technology pilot projects in Europe.
Simultaneously, Polestar is partnering with the California Energy Commission and the independent non-profit energy and power research institution EPRI in the United States for a preliminary research project sponsored by the Swedish Innovation Agency. The goal is to formulate future plans for implementing V2G services in California. The preliminary research in California is set to begin in December 2023 and will continue until October 2024.
