- In an effort to further bring vehicle-to-grid technology to the mainstream, BYD, Octopus, and Zaptec have partnered to create the ‘Power Pack Bundle‘, marking the UK’s first vehicle-to-grid bundle.
- The bundle consists of a leased V2G-capable BYD Dolphin, a V2G-capable Zaptec Pro home EV charger, and Octopus Energy’s smart tariff that can allow for free home charging.
- With vehicle-to-grid capabilities in the UK previously being limited to only a handful of relatively old electric models, this new scheme is set to supercharge V2G uptake in the country.
Vehicle-to-grid is becoming a reality for UK customers
Announced at Octopus Energy’s Energy Tech Summit this week, the offer to UK customers has the potential to make EV ownership an even more affordable option compared to petrol and diesel-powered cars, with the bundle (car included) priced at under £300 a month. By sending power from the car’s battery back to the grid at peak times of demand, the technology can pay for itself – in fact, customers who choose this bundle will be able to charge overnight completely free, with a few caveats. Firstly, the EV must be plugged in at least 20 times a month, for 12 hours each time, and the customer must also stay below a charging limit matched to the lease miles of the BYD Dolphin. With this free charging offer, Octopus estimates that the average EV driver could save up to £620 a year compared to an EV charged on a standard tariff, or £1,000 a year, compared to the cost of filling up a petrol car.
With more V2G-capable electric cars on the horizon, we can expect to see this technology to play an increasingly large part in the UK’s EV and energy future. Elsewhere in the world, efforts to bring V2G to the mainstream are also being put in place, such as China’s recent nationwide pilot of the technology.
Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD, commented:
“We’re thrilled to officially launch our V2G project with Octopus Energy and Kraken. BYD is fully committed to making intelligent, innovative, sustainable technologies available to our customers, and this project will allow them to unlock the full potential of electric vehicles – not just as transport but as dynamic assets that can play a key role in supporting the grid.
Together with Octopus Energy, we’re enabling EV owners to play an active role in the energy ecosystem, reducing costs and increasing the resilience of renewable power systems.”
Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy Group, added:
“V2G is the game-changer for drivers and the grid. For the first time ever, drivers can effortlessly power their homes and help the grid – and drive for free in return. V2G is here, available at scale, and ready to revolutionise our entire energy system.”
