WeaveGrid and Hyundai Motor Group have announced a partnership to develop smart charging and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities for Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles (EVs) in North America. The collaboration will initially focus on managed charging, also known as V1G, before expanding into bidirectional energy services.
The companies are developing a software platform that connects Hyundai and Kia EVs with utility energy management systems. The platform will enable charging schedules to be adjusted based on vehicle requirements, electricity costs, and local grid conditions.
Drivers will be able to configure charging preferences, including departure times and target battery charge levels, through the myHyundai and Kia Access applications. The system will use this information to schedule charging during periods that reduce electricity costs and help manage demand on the electrical grid.
WeaveGrid’s integration will provide participating utilities with authorized access to vehicle charging and battery data across compatible models. The companies will also develop interoperable system architectures intended to accommodate additional vehicle platforms, charging programs, and future bidirectional capabilities while maintaining vehicle cybersecurity and driver data privacy.
Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), used across much of its US EV lineup, was designed to accommodate bidirectional charging. Existing applications include vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality in the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6, as well as home backup power capabilities in the Kia EV9.
The next phase of development will extend the platform to V2G services, allowing compatible EV batteries to supply stored energy back to the electrical grid. This capability could enable utilities to use vehicle batteries as distributed energy resources to help manage demand at the distribution transformer and feeder levels.
Implementation will depend on compatible bidirectional charging hardware, utility interconnection requirements, and the availability of participating utility programs.
The collaboration builds on Hyundai Motor Group’s previous investment in WeaveGrid and its existing utility integrations across the US. The companies plan to expand the platform’s compatibility with additional vehicles and energy services as the technology develops.
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News, Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G)