MyWheels, the sharing car provider, aims to transform its shared cars into what they call a ‘neighbourhood battery’. The company is therefore currently conducting a trial of two-way charging in Utrecht, in collaboration with We Drive Solar, the companies say in a (Dutch) press release.
- Utrecht is leading the way in energy transition with a groundbreaking collaboration between We Drive Solar and MyWheels, which will see electric share cars serve as ‘driving neighbourhood batteries’.
- By the end of 2023, more than 300 MyWheels station-based sharing cars in Utrecht will be connected to We Drive Solar’s charging stations, with plans for further expansion in other cities.
Bidirectional charging
Bidirectional charging of electric cars is convenient because it allows cars not only to get power to charge, but also to return power when needed. This means electric cars can help supply electricity to the grid when there is a shortage, keeping the grid stable. It is beneficial for users because they can save money by using their cars to sell power back, and it also helps our electricity grid work better. So it is a win-win situation for both users and the grid.
More than 300 shared cars in Utrecht
By the end of 2023, 300 MyWheels station-based electric shared cars in Utrecht will be connected to We Drive Solar’s charging stations. The ambition is to jointly scale up that number substantially in the coming years, including outside Utrecht. In the process, a large number of cars will be bi-directionally controlled, meaning that the car can both charge and discharge and thus the car acts as energy storage for the neighbourhood.
Driving neighbourhood battery gets closer
MyWheels’ electric shared cars will become part of We Drive Solar’s energy system. This uses available solar and wind energy to charge the share cars and can be fed back at times when there is more demand for sustainable electricity. Share cars as driving neighbourhood batteries can play an important role in combating grid congestion and thus accelerate the energy transition.
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