Electric vehicle users show high satisfaction and interest in bidirectional charging

Recent surveys and industry developments highlight growing interest in electric vehicles (EVs) and their potential as home energy storage solutions. According to a Bitkom survey of 1,002 households, 64% of respondents would like to use their EV as a power storage unit, and 55% stated that such capability would make an EV more attractive.

Bidirectional charging technology is categorized into three main types: Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), which powers external devices; Vehicle-to-Home (V2H), which feeds solar power back into a household network; and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), which supports the public power grid. While V2H solutions are becoming available, V2G is still in its early stages in Germany. Companies like Hager are developing bidirectional charging stations, with some solutions expected by early 2027.

In terms of user experience, an ADAC survey of 1,060 drivers in Germany found a 97% satisfaction rate among EV users. Most participants reported that switching to an electric drivetrain was easy and expressed satisfaction with vehicle range. However, some users noted discrepancies between manufacturer range estimates and actual performance, particularly in varying temperatures. Regarding infrastructure, while two-thirds of users are satisfied with public charging stations, concerns remain regarding price transparency and safety when charging alone at night.