SAN DIEGO, CA – Toyota Motor North America (Toyota) and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) today announced a collaboration to research vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) using a Toyota bZ4X.
V2G technology allows BEV owners to charge their vehicles’ batteries from the grid and discharge electricity from the batteries back to the grid. This can help improve energy reliability and resilience, renewable energy integration and the potential to reduce electricity costs.
The collaboration between SDG&E and Toyota’s Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions (EVCS) team will focus on understanding the needs of BEV owners, their charging habits and when they use their vehicles. This information will be crucial in driving widespread adoption of V2G.
The research will be conducted at SDG&E’s campus in San Diego, California, using Fermata Energy’s bi-directional charger and V2G platform.
“We are embracing the concept of a complete electrified ecosystem for our customers, and the ability of vehicles to integrate with the grid is an essential component of this ecosystem,” said Christopher Yang, group vice president of Toyota EV Charging Solutions. “Working with leading utilities, such as SDG&E, will ensure that customers can continue to charge with confidence at home.”
“V2G has the potential to be a game-changer for the electric grid and for consumers, and we are proud to partner with Toyota to advance this technology,” said SDG&E Chief Commercial Officer Miguel Romero. “Together, we are forging new paths toward a sustainable and resilient energy future for our customers and the communities we serve.”
With the information gained from the V2G research collaboration, SDG&E and Toyota intend to identify current and future customer benefits that can be achieved through new products and services. The pilot project will also help SDG&E understand the infrastructure needed to enable the rapid growth of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in both public and private settings and to further stabilize the electric grid during peak hours. Toyota currently offers two fuel-efficient BEVs in the U.S. and Canada: the Toyota bZ4X and the Lexus RZ 450e. By 2030, Toyota aims to offer 30 BEV models worldwide through its Toyota and Lexus brands and produce up to 3.5 million BEVs per year.
