Electric vehicle charging efficiency and V2G income potential

Recent studies and pilot programs highlight both the inefficiencies and the potential economic benefits of electric vehicle (EV) energy management.

Research by the German automobile club ADAC reveals significant energy losses during home charging. Using a standard domestic socket (2.3 kW) results in the highest waste, with the Mercedes CLA 350 EQ losing up to 24.2% of energy during the process. Other models like the VW ID.7 and Tesla Model Y show losses between 12.7% and 15.3%. However, using a dedicated wallbox (11 kW or 22 kW) drastically reduces these losses to a range of 5.1% to 7.0%.

Conversely, a pilot project in Delaware, USA, demonstrates how EVs can generate income through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. By acting as mobile energy storage units, EVs can feed electricity back into the grid during peak demand. In the study conducted by the University of Delaware using Ford vehicles, owners could potentially earn up to $3,359 annually by participating in this bidirectional energy flow.