Bidirectional Charging
Charging that allows energy to flow both into the vehicle and back out to a building or the grid.
Technical Details
Requires compatible vehicles/chargers and standards support (often ISO 15118-20). Enables modes like V2G (vehicle-to-grid) and V2B (vehicle-to-building).
Fleet Applications
Can support grid services or backup-power scenarios when the vehicle, charger, site protection, approvals, and market arrangements are compatible. It does not imply a current or guaranteed revenue stream.
Related Terms
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G)
Bidirectional charging technology that enables electric vehicles to return digitally managed energy from their batteries back to the power grid during peak demand periods.
ISO 15118 (Plug & Charge)
Family of standards for high-level communication between an electric vehicle (EV) and a charging station (EVSE), enabling certificate-based "Plug & Charge" and advanced charging control (including bidirectional charging in newer editions).
Bidirectional Power Transfer (BPT)
ISO 15118 concept for charging and discharging where an EV and EVSE coordinate power flow in both directions (V2G/V2B), not just charging.
BPT Channel (Unified vs Separated)
ISO 15118-20 parameter that describes whether bidirectional energy flow uses one shared channel (Unified) or two dedicated channels (Separated) for opposite directions.
Smart Grid
A modernized electricity grid that uses digital control and two-way communication to balance supply and demand.