Groupe PSA and several partners have launched a new project to evaluate smart charging technology. The idea is to reduce an EV driver’s electricity bill by shifting charging times to periods of lower electricity prices. Further savings could be achieved by providing grid balancing services through a Vehicle to Grid (V2G) system.

The two-year GridMotion demo project will be carried out with two groups of users. Fifty EV owners will test smart unidirectional charging – the system will charge their vehicles when electricity prices are generally lower (nighttime in France). Also, a fleet of 15 vehicles with Enel bidirectional charging stations will test V2G services. This fleet will provide grid balancing services, charging the vehicles when there is surplus electricity supply on the grid, and discharging when there is surplus electricity demand.

Groupe PSA is in charge of recruiting customers and managing the project; Direct Energie will act as an aggregator, making bids in the electricity and reserve markets; Nuvve will be in charge of controlling the charging/discharging patterns of the EVs;     Enel will provide the bidirectional charging stations; Proxiserve will install the charging stations; and DTU will provide academic support and testing systems.

The project partners are looking for volunteers to start the experiment. Participants should be based in France and own a Peugeot or Citroën electric vehicle produced from January 2015 onwards.

Source: Groupe PSA via Green Car Congress