*This content was translated by AI.
Electric vehicle brand Polestar will work with energy solution company Octopus Energy to introduce a "Grid Rewards" program in the European market to reduce electric vehicle charging costs and contribute to the stability of the power grid. The program will be expanded starting in Germany and France, and the key is for Polestar customers to benefit economically from using their vehicles as power grid flexibility resources.
Grid Rewards is operated through the Polestar Energy app and is based on smart charging technology to induce vehicles to be charged first during times when power demand is low and renewable energy supply is smooth. In particular, in the German market, Polestar drivers with intelligent Octopus energy contracts can reduce home slow charging costs by up to 50% per time if they use grid rewards, which translates into annual costs of about 300 euros.
If conventional simple smart charging was a way to save money by charging during off-peak hours when electricity rates were low, grid rewards were differentiated in that they were directly involved in regulating the load across the grid. When the load on the power grid increases rapidly, charging is temporarily stopped or adjusted to prevent overload of the power system, and on the contrary, when the power supply is excessive, energy is absorbed through electric vehicles to balance the supply and demand of the power grid.
To implement this, Polestar has established a system that integrates and manages a number of Polestar vehicles like a single virtual power plant (VPP). The system controls the state of charge of individual vehicles in real time and optimizes how the entire fleet is charged or stopped at the same time. In addition, Polestar has introduced a new vehicle-controlled smart charging solution that can control charging time directly from the vehicle itself without installing a separate dedicated wallbox for Polestar 2 and Polestar 4 models, greatly increasing user accessibility.
The technology is a method in which the vehicle directly detects energy price signals, household power demand, and the state of the power grid to determine the optimal charging time. This is evaluated as a way to solve the cost of building expensive dedicated charging infrastructure, which was one of the biggest barriers to smart charging introduction. Polestar plans to further advance its two-way charging (V2G) technology in the future, allowing electric vehicles to function as energy storage devices that move beyond just transportation consuming energy.
In particular, the Polestar 3 model will support the ability to sell energy stored in the vehicle back to the power grid or use it as home power by activating the two-way charging function through a two-stage update in the future. Through this, Polestar clarified its strategy to become a solution provider that encompasses the entire energy ecosystem beyond just automakers.
The Grid Rewards service offers electric vehicle owners practical maintenance savings while presenting a sustainable energy model that reduces reliance on fossil fuels and increases renewable energy utilization. Polestar plans to continue to expand its service scope mainly in major European countries, which is expected to be a major driver for strengthening Polestar's technological edge and eco-friendly brand image in the global electric vehicle market.
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*This content was translated by AI.
