Kia's electric model EV9 is set to become a significant car not only for the automaker but also for the entire North American market. Nestled perfectly in the sought-after SUV category, its range of up to 541 kilometers is impressive. However, the standout feature for the American market is its Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) standard, which sets it apart. But what does this involve?
Kia EV9: A Mobile Power Bank
V2X features are highly desired in many electric vehicles, and Kia introduced it with the first model using the E-GMP platform, the EV6. V2X can power appliances (V2L – Vehicle-to-Load), cover grid fluctuations (V2G – vehicle-to-grid), and the newly launched V2H function can power an entire home. Owners residing in remote areas or homes prone to frequent power outages would particularly appreciate Vehicle-to-Home functionality. Kia introduced a special wallbox tailored to support V2H.
In essence, it’s bidirectional charging. In the standard scenario, the vehicle is plugged in at home to charge the battery for the next journey. But in case of a power shortage in your household, the energy flow reverses, channeling power into your home circuits. Kia EV9 is positioned as a pioneer in this regard, as no other automaker currently offers an official and approved V2H or V2G functionality.
Photo by Kia EV9
Kia Leading the Way
The only comparable system in the vicinity is Ford’s backup system in its F-150 Lightning model. With an automatic system, it can monitor household power outages and cover them with the vehicle’s battery capacity. Kia is set to launch the Wallbox Quasar 2 in the first half of the coming year, supporting both V2H and V2G versions. Thanks to its sizable SUV battery, the capacity and size offer roughly four days of energy to a household, subject to the house’s size and family consumption. The battery capacity ranges from 76 to 100 kWh, up to five times what Tesla’s Powerwall backup battery offers.
Company representatives add that the battery’s use while supplying power to the home is significantly less taxing compared to dynamic driving or fast DC charging. For those concerned about low efficiency, the Wallbox presents a top-notch solution. It draws energy from the vehicle in DC with 97% efficiency, converting it into AC suitable for household use on the Wallbox’s side. None of the V2X functions should significantly impact battery degradation, and Kia provides a ten-year warranty as an assurance.
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