Last week, WeaveGrid, in partnership with Kia America and Wallbox Chargers, hosted a live demonstration of grid-interconnected bidirectional EV charging at the V2G Business, Policy & Technology Forum at the American Center for Mobility in Detroit. 

During the demo, a Kia EV9, equipped with a Wallbox Quasar 2 charger, was used to both charge and discharge energy in a vehicle battery, demonstrating the vehicle's ability to interact with the grid and the potential of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology.

The live demonstration was a testament to Kia and Wallbox’s commitment to advancing bidirectional technology and WeaveGrid's innovative software platform. The event itself showcased the potential of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology to revolutionize the energy landscape.

A Successful V2G Demonstration

Imagine a future where your EV isn’t just a vehicle, but a tool to help manage your home energy use and your electric bill.  Our demo at the V2G Forum and our partnerships with Kia and Wallbox brought that vision to life. The demo highlighted how the Wallbox Quasar 2 can seamlessly integrate with a Kia EV9 to power load during periods of grid stress, in an interconnected vehicle-to-home (V2H) use case. This demo was especially exciting as this grid-parallel V2H solution paired with WeaveGrid’s software will help customers save money on energy bills and ensure grid resilience.

Key Highlights from the Demo:

• Seamless User Experience: The Wallbox Quasar 2 and WeaveGrid's platform provided a simple and intuitive user experience. A live demonstration allowed attendees to see how easy it was to control charging and discharging directly from a mobile app.
• Interoperability: The demo highlighted the interoperability of different EV models and charging solutions. A Tesla Model 3 was successfully charged using the Kia EV9's stored energy, showcasing the flexibility of V2G technology.
• Real-Time Control: WeaveGrid's platform enabled real-time control over charging and discharging, allowing for dynamic adjustments based on grid conditions and user preferences.
• Industry Collaboration: The collaboration between WeaveGrid, Kia America, and Wallbox Chargers demonstrated the growing industry interest in V2G technology.

Our cloud-based EV Management System enables seamless integration of V2X technology with utility systems. 

Behind the Scenes: The Demo Setup

The success of this demonstration was the result of collaboration between multiple teams at Kia, Wallbox, and WeaveGrid, with help along the way from our hosts, the American Center for Mobility (ACM), the V2G Forum organizing committee, the local utility, DTE, and COIL, the preferred installer for Wallbox’s Quasar 2. 

To bring this demo to life, we installed a 200A residential electrical panel in the WeaveGrid garage at ACM. We also secured a grid interconnection permit from DTE, which allowed the system to operate in “grid-parallel” mode, meaning we could discharge energy directly back to the home load without disconnecting the system from the grid. The installation included a power meter to monitor the load on the panel (the home load). For the demo purpose, we installed a second power meter to the Quasar 2 itself, allowing viewers to see real-time into the actions of the charger- whether it was ramping up to charge, charging, or discharging energy back to the home. This setup provided a dynamic look at the charger’s potential to seamlessly transition between roles, emphasizing its real-world ability to do smart energy management. 

The demo kicked off by using the Wallbox Quasar 2 to charge the Kia EV9. Then, using the Wallbox app, the process was reversed and the Kia EV9 discharged at a rate that was equal to the home load, bringing the meter on the overall load panel to read 0. This wasn’t just theoretical - we connected 120V outlets to the load panel and plugged in real appliances, including a space heater, lighting, and even a Tesla Model 3, giving a clear view that the V2H use case can support day to day energy needs. WeaveGrid then took it to the next level and demonstrated how our software platform can turn the EVSE and vehicle into a grid asset by incorporating grid signals into the charging and discharging schedules. This smart scheduling of the charging and discharging can optimize the energy use based on times of grid strain, grid specific events, and customer utility rates and bill savings. 

The demo was a powerful first step to show that EVs are ready to do more than drive - they will become essential partners in smart, sustainable energy management for our homes and the electric grid. By fostering strong partnerships, we’re enabling automated energy control that transforms EVs into dynamic, grid-interactive assets that saves drivers money. 

The positive reception from the highly technical audience at the conference was incredibly rewarding following a successful demonstration of cutting-edge technology! 

Looking Ahead

This successful V2G demonstration is just the beginning. As the industry continues to evolve, WeaveGrid is committed to driving innovation and accelerating the adoption of bidirectional charging solutions. We are excited to continue pushing the boundaries of EV technology and exploring new opportunities to harness the power of bidirectional charging.