German electric vehicle technology and infrastructure

Developments in Germany's electric vehicle (EV) sector involve both technological innovations and the expansion of charging infrastructure. Research from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics demonstrated a prototype 800-volt bidirectional DC charger using gallium-nitride semiconductors, which allows EVs to act as mobile power storage units to support grid flexibility.

In terms of infrastructure, the retailer Lidl has expanded its charging network to approximately 700 German supermarket locations. These stations offer fast charging up to 360 kW using renewable electricity, with access managed via the Lidl Plus app or RFID cards.

Further analysis of charging methods by ADAC indicates significant variations in efficiency. While charging via a Wallbox is the most efficient method with losses below 7%, using standard household sockets results in much higher energy losses, sometimes reaching nearly 25% depending on the vehicle model. Recent testing confirms these findings, noting that losses can reach 24.2 percent in certain models, leading experts to recommend wallboxes over household outlets for both safety and efficiency.

Technological trends such as Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) continue to evolve, allowing EVs to feed energy back into buildings and the grid to balance supply and demand, particularly alongside renewable energy sources.