SolarEdge Technologies has unveiled its new bidirectional DC EV charger, which will enable solar-powered vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functionalities.

It says the charger’s DC-coupled architecture offers several benefits. For example, it allows an EV to be charged directly from a PV array with no unnecessary AC-DC power conversions. It also enables fast charging of up to 24 kW by simultaneously drawing electricity from a PV array, the home battery and the grid, bypassing the home’s AC infrastructure and the limitations of an EV’s onboard charger.

SolarEdge’s ONE energy optimisation system will apply smart algorithms to calculate dynamic utility prices and autonomously charge and discharge an EV’s battery. This, it says, will enable homeowners to receive payments from their electricity supplier during periods of high demand by discharging their stored EV battery power back to the grid (V2G).

In addition, the EV battery can function as a large home battery storage solution of up to 50 kWh, both on and off grid, enabling homeowners to use their EV to back up their homes for extended periods during an outage (V2H).

The charger is compatible with 400 and 800 V EV powertrains via a standard CSS connector. It is expected to be commercially available in the second half of 2024.