Volvo said it was still determining in which markets it will be able to offer bi-directional charging. There are a number of legislative hurdles that need to be overcome, but Steigler said that the feature should be available to EX90 owners “much earlier than 2025.”
Bi-directional charging is not new.
Nissan has been running trials using the technology in the Leaf electric hatchback for years. The automaker has also found that bi-directional capability can provide savings, but many charger points are not able to accept electricity from an EV and deliver it to other appliances in a home or back to the grid, a Nissan spokesman said.
Other vehicles that are capable of bi-directional charging include the Volkswagen ID4 and ID5, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Honda e. Tesla models currently don’t offer the capability.
Volvo said it will also offer the hardware that customers need to make sure their home charging systems are bi-directional. It also will make sure accessories such as adapter plugs for appliances and cables for charging other cars are available.
“Our long-term intention is to reduce the number of charging cables a customer needs,” Steigler said. Ideally he foresee a time when an EV owner will just need a Mode 3 charging cable and some adaptors, eliminating the need for Mode 2 cables, which are the standard emergency cables that are currently delivered with most battery-powered cars.
Volvo has been releasing details on the EX90 since Sept. 21, when it revealed the name of the car and highlighted some of its key safe features.
Last week Volvo said the EX90 will come standard with technology aimed at preventing hot car deaths.
The EX90 is the biggest all-new product debut for Volvo since the XC40 arrived in 2017.
Deliveries of Volvo’s top-of-the-line EV, which will replace the XC90 as Volvo’s flagship as it transitions into an electric-only brand, will start in early 2023.
The rival to the Tesla Model X and BMW iX is expected to have a range of 500 to 600 km (310 to 370 miles).
