The EX90 will arrive as Volvo’s first EV with bi-directional charging and the ability to power your home
Volvo Cars continues to offer fresh tidbits pertaining to its upcoming all-electric flagship SUV – the EX90. Ahead of its full debut in November, we have now learned that the latest EV will the first Volvo to include bi-directional charging, arriving with the technology to power your home, devices, and eventually send surplus energy back to the electrical grid.
Volvo Cars currently offers several electrified models, including the XC40 Recharge and most recently, the C40 Recharge. That being said, Volvo has only delivered a plug-in hybrid version of its XC90 SUV, its most flagship vehicle in the fleet.
For over a year, Volvo has been promising an all-electric version of the XC90, alongside news that it would come standard with LiDAR sensors. In September, we learned that instead of making the XC90 SUV all-electric as a “Recharge” model, Volvo has instead announced a successor called the EX90.
So far, we’ve learned that the EX90 will in fact come standard with LiDAR technology, offering an “invisible shield of safety” to its driver and their passengers. According to CEO Jim Rowan, the safety will “beyond any Volvo that came before it.”
Following a similar trend, we now know that the upcoming EV will be the first Volvo to feature bi-directional charging capabilities, opening up a whole new chapter of possibilities for sustainable energy use.
Volvo’s EX90 EV is bi-directional capable, but may take time
The automaker shared the latest news surrounding its upcoming EV model in a press release today, sharing some of its capabilities, while mostly focusing on its future potential rather than what it will be able to achieve when deliveries begin. Per the release:
We believe that with bi-directional charging, electric cars can have the potential to contribute to an easing of this strain while plugged in – together with many other electric cars forming a virtual power plant. It can also help power your own home energy needs and, when unplugged, become a battery on wheels powering your life on the go – for your cookout, power tools or music system.
With bi-directional charging capabilities, the Volvo EV will be able to send energy both ways, whether it’s to a mini fridge at a tailgate, an e-bike out in the mountains, or your home while safely parked in the garage.
What’s key here is that Volvo is describing the EX90 EV as “hardware-ready” for bi-directional charging. As you’ll see in the video below, Volvo sees the EX90, and assumedly its EVs that will follow, as part of a holistic energy management system that includes charging, wall boxes, the cloud, and the Volvo app.
From the get-go, the EX90 should be able to power outside devices as a vehicle-to-load (V2L) energy storage system. However, other capabilities like powering your home and selling energy back to the grid will take time to be to roll out, will require additional equipment, and may only be available to customers in certain areas.
So far, a lot of the charging prospects outlined by Volvo and its upcoming EV are scenarios left to the imagination, but the point the automaker is driving home is that if and when these scenarios do become reality, the EX90 will already be equipped with the technology to assist.
One thing you may have noticed from the images above is the lack of a Volvo EV seen charging. That’s because the automaker has not officially unveiled the EX90 yet, which will happen on November 9, when we are sure to learn more about what this new SUV can do.
If we learn anything else before then, trust we will keep you in the know. For now, here’s that video from Volvo explaining the potential of its EVs charging bi-directional capabilities:
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Click here to learn more.
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Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
Read more: Texas to get 1 GW AI-powered virtual power plant, enough to power 200,000 homes
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
Read: Chinese solar giant Trina sells its Texas factory a week after it opens
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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