Mitsubishi delivers vehicle-to-grid charging tech in Oz
Japanese brand follows in Nissan’s wheel tracks by embracing V2G tech at its South Australian headquartersMitsubishi Australia has installed vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging capability at its Adelaide headquarters, in a move that will eventually be followed by the availability of bi-directional charging for Australian Mitsubishi owners.
The Japanese manufacturer today announced the installation of bi-directional EV infrastructure at its South Australian HQ in the form of two Wallbox Quasar chargers that allow CHAdeMO-enabled electrified vehicles like the Mitsubishi Outlander and Eclipse Cross Plug-in Hybrid EVs to both charge their drive batteries and supply their stored energy back to the electricity grid.
Mitsubishi claims it is the “first automotive OEM to ‘switch on’ this capability at its Australian headquarters” and its pair of plug-in hybrid SUVs are so far the only PHEV models available in Australia with vehicle-to-grid charging tech.
But Mitsubishi is still one step shy of Nissan – the first auto brand to release a vehicle with V2G tech in Australia with the Nissan LEAF, which remains the only EV on sale here with V2G capability.
The Nissan LEAF has taken part in a $2.4 million V2G trial involving 51 ACT government vehicles in Canberra since 2020, when a separate three-year $8 million V2G trial was also announced by the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to monitor the charging behaviour of 300 private EV owners in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and SA.
Billed as the first V2G conducted in Australian households, it aims to gauge the impact EVs have on the electricity grid when charging from home during peak times, and was followed by a similar trial by Tesla in 2021.
The Nissan LEAF is also involved in a South Australian V2G trial announced late last year, in which EV owners can apply to have a Wallbox Quasar V2G power unit installed at their home, allowing it to be used as a power source like a solar-powered home battery system.
While neither Japanese brand has said exactly when it will offer their Australian customers V2G charging capability, Mitsubishi today said the installation of V2G infrastructure at its head office is the next step in activating its Dendo Drive House energy management system.
“We are immensely proud to be the first automotive brand in Australia with bi-directional charging capability,” said Mitsubishi Australia CEO Shaun Westcott today.
“It’s the next step in realising our vision to deploy Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid EV technology and become a more environmentally sustainable operation. Recent power outages are a timely reminder of this technology’s value.
“We would especially like to thank JET Charge for their technical collaboration and commitment in delivering this project and look forward to seeing this technology roll out across South Australia and the country in future.
“It is this work that allows businesses such as MMAL to explore new mobility pathways that result in improved integration between the mobility and energy sectors.
“The eMobility space is continually evolving, and likewise we are evolving how Mitsubishi Plug-In Hybrid EV users can unlock the benefits of battery energy storage on wheels, and how this can support the grid of the future,” he said.
V2G charging technology is being increasingly examined as a potential way around electricity shortages, given its potential to assist with grid stability during supply and demand fluctuations and with congestion management, by storing power during low demand and supply during high demand. It can also be used for price arbitrage (buy low/sell high).
V2G-capable bi-directional chargers work similarly to a DC charger by converting AC electricity from the grid to DC electricity required by EV batteries, or vice-versa.
Fitted with a bi-directional charger, Mitsubishi says the new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV can act as a mobile generator that’s able to supply energy to a typical Australian home for up to seven days.
“With its bi-directional capability, Mitsubishi can use its PHEV vehicle fleet to supply energy to its Head Office – or the grid,” the car-maker said.
It's understood South Australia will soon become the first Australian state to allow owners of electrified vehicles to supply power back to the grid, and Mitsubishi's national HQ will be ready to do so when it does.
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