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Weeks after announcing a collaboration with Kia America to bring bidirectional charging capabilities to EV9 drivers, Wallbox has demonstrated the potential of its technology first hand. Today, the energy management technology company posted a video you can see below that showcases its Quasar 2 home EV charger not only charging an EV9, but also using the SUV to power home devices the opposite direction as well as other intuitive features. Check it out.

Wallbox ($WBX) describes itself as a developer of “advanced electric vehicle charging and energy management systems that redefine the relationship between users and the network.” In less than a decade since being founded, Wallbox’s portfolio of commercial and public EV charging solutions has expanded to several EV chargers and accessories, now available in over 115 different countries.

Its current lineup includes a 400kW DC fast charger we saw during a visit to Wallbox’s newest facility in Texas last fall, which can deliver 100 miles of range in five minutes of charging. We also got a look at the Quasar 2, a new home 11.5 kW EV charger presented by Wallbox this past January that offers a CCS-combo DC charger with bi-directional charging that enables vehicle-to-home (V2H) capabilities.

Not many electric vehicles being built today support bidirectional charging just yet, but the 800V E-GMP platform designed by Hyundai Motor Group certainly does, one of its best selling points in our opinion. One vehicle that currently sits atop the E-GMP platform is the Kia EV9 SUV, which is just starting to begin deliveries in North America.

In late August, Wallbox announced it is working with Kia to give EV9 drivers access to its Quasar 2 home charger, offering the potential opportunity for bidirectional charging. It’s one thing to know the technology is available and another to see it in action. “Show don’t tell,” as we used to say in the Hollywood.

Today, Wallbox is showcasing its Quasar 2 charger connected to an EV9, and its capabilities are something special.

Wallbox charging
Credit: Wallbox

Watch Wallbox’s Quasar 2 demonstrate V2H charging

Following the initial announcement of its collaboration with Kia and the EV9, Wallbox’s chief business officer Douglas Alfaro visited Hyundai Motor Group’s proving grounds in California to plug the company’s Quasar 2 into the EV9 and truly demonstrate how it works. According to Wallbox, this is the first time it has live demonstrated its bidrectional charging technology in the US.

As you can see in the video below, Alfaro starts pretty standard, plugging the Quasar 2 into a Kia EV9, which automatically commences charging the SUV. On a table next to the charger, Wallbox set up several devices representing common energy users in a home – lights, air, appliances, etc.

Here’s where things get interesting. Alfaro cuts the grid power and you can see the Wallbox charger automatically recognize the shortage and switch direction of the charging – pulling from the EV9 to keep all the devices running.

As we’ve pointed out in the past, bidirectional charging like that in the Quasar 2 essentially empowers EV drivers with homes to turn their vehicle into a power bank. Another interesting fact to consider is that the Kia EV9 holds between 76-100 kWh of battery power depending on what configuration you buy – that’s a lot of backup power. Wallbox explains that the even the smaller pack in the Kia is more than 5-times the capacity of a standard home energy storage system (13.5 kWh), ensuring the lights can stay on longer during blackouts or inclement weather.

Grid power comes back, the Quasar 2 automatically switches back to charging the EV9, simple. The charger also recognizes peak energy demands on the grid and can automatically pause EV charging and wait for a later time in the evening when energy costs are down.

One last huge benefit is the Wallbox charger’s ability to deliver vehicle-to-grid capabilities as well, in which Kia EV9 owners could someday flush their excess vehicle energy directly into the local grid and potentially be paid for it.

As we pointed out in today’s other news about legacy automakers teaming up to bolster the grid in North America, there will be a lot of regulatory red tape to cut through before V2G becomes commonplace, but the technology already exists on both the EV and charging sides of the equations. Utility companies now need to optimize and allow for it.

Regardless, there are plenty of perks to bidirectional charging available to EV owners today, as demonstrated by Wallbox below. Have a look for yourself and let us know what you think.

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Trump’s first day, Hyundai lease deals, and Volvo’s EVs arrive in the US

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Trump's first day, Hyundai lease deals, and Volvo's EVs arrive in the US

On today’s episode of Quick Charge, President Trump has a wild first day in office, but it’s not ALL bad, either. Plus: Tesla gets diner integration, Hyundai keeps the deal train rolling, and it’s dad’s 80th birthday.

We also look ahead to some possible discounts for Tesla insurance customers, some news on the upcoming “cheap” Cybertruck, and wonder out loud if Puerto Rico’s billion dollar solar project is going to see the light of day. All this and more – enjoy!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.

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Stripe cuts 300 jobs in product, engineering and operations

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Stripe cuts 300 jobs in product, engineering and operations

The Stripe logo on a smartphone with U.S. dollar banknotes in the background.

Budrul Chukrut | SOPA Images | LightRocket via Getty Images

Stripe cut 300 jobs, representing about 3.5% of its workforce, mostly in product, engineering and operations, CNBC has confirmed.

The payments company, valued at about $70 billion in the private markets, still expects to increase headcount by 10,000 by the end of the year, which would be a 17% increase, and is “not slowing down hiring,” according to a memo to staff from Chief People Office Rob McIntosh. Business Insider reported earlier on the cuts and the memo.

A Stripe spokesperson also confirmed to CNBC that a cartoon image of a duck with text that read, “US-Non-California Duck,” was accidentally attached as a PDF to emails sent to some of the employees who were laid off. Some of the emails mistakenly provided affected employees with an incorrect termination date, the spokesperson said.

McIntosh sent a follow-up email to staffers apologizing for the “notification error” and “any confusion it caused.”

“Corrected and full notifications have since been sent to all impacted Stripes,” he wrote.

In 2022, Stripe cut roughly 1,100 jobs, or 14% of its workers, downsizing alongside most of the tech industry, as soaring inflation and rising interest rates forced companies to focus on profits over growth. The Information reported that Stripe had a few dozen layoffs in its recruiting department in 2023.

Stripe’s valuation sank from a peak of $95 billion in 2021 to $50 billion in 2023, before reportedly rebounding to $70 billion last year as part of a secondary share sale. The company ranked third on last year’s CNBC Disruptor 50 list.

In October, Stripe agreed to pay $1.1 billion for crypto startup Bridge Network, whose technology is focused on making it easy for businesses to transact using digital currencies. 

Brothers Patrick and John Collison, who founded Stripe in 2010, have intentionally steered clear of the public markets and have given no indication that an offering is on the near-term horizon. Total payment volume at the company surpassed $1 trillion in 2023.

WATCH: Early Bridge investor weighs in on $1.1 billion Stripe deal

Early Bridge investor weighs in on $1.1 billion Stripe deal

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Rivian is offering up to $6,000 to upgrade your R1S or R1T

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Rivian is offering up to ,000 to upgrade your R1S or R1T

Thinking about upgrading your EV? Rivian (RIVN) launched a new promo on Tuesday, offering up to $6,000 to upgrade your R1S or R1T. Here’s how you can snag some savings.

Rivian R1S and R1T upgrade deal offers up to $6,000

Rivian delivered over 51,500 vehicles last year as the EV maker gains momentum. Although it was only slightly higher than the ~50,100 delivered in 2023, Rivian is expected to see even more growth this year.

After shutting down its Normal, IL manufacturing plant last April and renegotiating supplier contracts, Rivian has seen “significant cost improvements,” according to CEO RJ Scaringe.

Rivian also began delivering its next-gen R1S and R1T models last year. The new Large and Max battery packs have redesigned modules and more efficient packaging, “making them easier to manufacture and service.” For example, Rivian’s new EVs use seven ECUs, down from 17 in the first-generation R1T and R1S.

With new plant upgrades, reworked supplier contracts, and more efficient vehicles, Rivian is now passing the savings on to customers.

Rivian-EV-upgrade-$6,000
Rivian R1T (left) and R1S (right) electric vehicles (Source: Rivian)

Rivian introduced a new promo on Tuesday, offering up to $6,000 to upgrade your R1T or R1S. The bonus amount varies by trim:

  • Tri with Max battery: $6,000 USD / CAD 8,600
  • Dual with Max battery and Performance upgrade: $4,500 USD / CAD 6,500
  • Dual with Max battery: $3,000 USD / CAD 4,300

The offer is for current R1T or R1S owners or lessees in the US and Canada. Rivian launched the new promo on January 21, and it runs through March 31, 2025.

After you purchase or lease a qualifying vehicle, Rivian will apply a discount toward the MSRP. You must take delivery by March 31, 2025. In the fine print, Rivian stated, “You must request a trade-in estimate to qualify for this offer, but trade-in of a vehicle is not required.”

Rivian-EV-upgrade-$6,000
Rivian R1S (Source: Rivian)

Any other models are excluded from the offer. These include Dual Standard configurations, Dual with Large battery configurations, custom builds, demo vehicles, and pre-owned vehicles.

The new offer follows Rivian’s previous upgrade promo introduced last October, giving qualifying gas-powered vehicle owners or lessees up to $3,000.

Check out the Rivian R1 Shop to view eligible models. You can see eligible Rivian R1S here and R1T models here.

Electrek’s Take

Rivian’s R1S was already the tenth best-selling electric vehicle in the US last year, with nearly 27,000 models sold. With more driving range and power at a lower cost, the electric SUV could see even more demand in 2025.

Then again, with the arrival of new luxury electric SUVs, like the Jeep Wagoneer S and Volvo EX90, Rivian will face more competition in the US.

Rivian’s latest promo comes as the Company looks to carry the momentum from the end of 2024 into the new year. The EV maker is offering other deals, including 1.99% APR for 60 months on the R1 Dual with a Max Battery and Performance upgrade.

Even if you are not eligible for the promo, we can still help you find deals on Rivian’s electric SUV in your area. You can use our links below to view offers on the Rivian R1S and R1T near you today.

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