Kia has announced a new partnership with Wallbox that will allow eligible owners and lessees of its electric SUV, the EV9, to benefit from the EV charging solution provider’s Vehicle to Home (V2H) capabilities.
The collaboration is focused on the Quasar 2, which Wallbox recently opened for pre-orders and that Kia says is the first bi-directional compatible with the EV9. Eligible owners, or lessees, of the e-SUV will be able to order the charger, which includes an accompanying Wallbox Power Recovery Unit, on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
Through its bi-directional charging capabilities, enabled by the Quasar 2, the EV9 can serve customers as an energy storage system. With the correct equipment, the SUV can reverse its energy flow and send power from its battery back into areas of the customer’s home during power outages, inclement weather, and further scenarios that require a backup source of power to supply energy to key home appliances.
At the same time, the EV9’s bidirectional charging capabilities can help customers save money on home electricity bills by using stored grid energy or solar surpluses at peak hours. Here, the V2H functionality allows customers to set schedules for charging their vehicle or powering areas of their home.
The Quasar 2 bi-directional charger, itself, offers up to 12 kW of power for EV charging and discharging, and will retail for $6,440 (£5,046 / €6,126) excluding taxes and installation fees. While capable of bi-directional charging, the Kia EV9 also offers ultrafast charging on DC, enabling up to 70% of its range to be replenished in under 25 minutes. Among its key technologies are an ultra-wideband-based Digital Key, and Onboard Power Generator (V2L) functionality, allowing the EV to enhance the ownership experience.
