Volkswagen turns to sun2wheel
Kriens - Volkswagen (VW) intends to use its electric vehicles for bidirectional charging. In Switzerland, the automotive manufacturer is teaming up with sun2wheel to make this vision a reality. The Lucerne-based start-up has developed a VW-compatible wallbox.
Volkswagen is opening up its ID3, ID4, ID5, ID7 and ID Buzz electric vehicles from battery sizes of at least 77 kilowatt hours for bidirectional charging in Switzerland, as detailed in a press release issued by sun2wheel. The start-up, which is based in Kriens in the canton of Lucerne, has developed a suitable wallbox for this purpose with a charging capacity of 22 kilowatts. It uses a communication protocol provided to selected companies by VW in Wolfsburg.
«VW becomes the first major provider of electric vehicles to facilitate bidirectional charging», comments Karin Schäfer, Head of Sales at sun2wheel, in the press release. «We have the technology and requisite expertise and are looking forward to rolling out our bidirectional charging solutions for VW models throughout Switzerland», she adds. Sun2wheel will be showcasing the new VW-compatible wallbox at the Auto Zürich trade fair from November 7 to 10.
The charging system, which is manufactured in Switzerland, is expected to be available for delivery from the middle of next year, with sun2wheel already accepting pre-orders. The bidirectional charging solution has received financial backing from the cantons of Zurich, Bern, Thurgau and Ticino, while the Touring Club Switzerland is supporting its members with a contribution of 500 Swiss francs for the first 20 orders of the wallbox.
«We are proud to make an important contribution to a sustainable energy future in the form of bidirectional charging», as sun2wheel co-founder Marco Piffaretti states. He sees electromobility as the start of the next phase – which is a crucial one. «With our technology, we are the market leader in Switzerland and are ready for major growth in the years to come».
