BMW i3, iX3 could soon power homes in Germany

MANILA: The BMW i3 and iX3 electric vehicles (EV) could soon be used to power homes that use solar energy in Germany.

Per BMW, it has expanded its partnership with Solarwatt — an energy solutions specialist headquartered in Dresden — to allow the first models in the Neue Klasse line to take advantage of their bi-directional charging technology. 

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“With the increasing electrification of mobility and customer households, new opportunities are emerging for holistic energy optimization and the integration of both ecosystems,” BMW wrote in a press release. 

“As part of this, BMW and Solarwatt are optimizing the integration of the electric vehicle into the customer’s household. To this end, the Solarwatt Manager home energy management system (HEMS) will serve as the link between both ecosystems in the future,” it added.

How it works

The BMW i3 and iX3 are equipped with vehicle-to-home technology, which the Munich-based car manufacturer describes as a gateway to bidirectional charging, the use of solar energy, and the reduction of energy costs.

Now, power for the household will not be supplied entirely by the vehicle, as we have seen in the now-common vehicle-to-load feature on many EVs, which can be used for operating small appliances.

Instead, BMW’s Neue Klasse models will serve as a storage for excess solar energy and, in turn, supply power back to one’s home when electricity demand is at its peak. As such, it helps owners reduce their reliance on the grid and reduce overall electricity costs. 

“The electric vehicle is seamlessly integrated into the interaction between the photovoltaic system (PV system), home storage, and consumers in the home as an additional storage unit,” BMW explained.

According to BMW, Solarwatt’s HEMS will handle the central and intelligent control and optimization of energy flows in the household via coordinated and communicating components. The system will efficiently streamline the generation, storage, and consumption of energy.

Further, the said home network integration is made possible by combining BMW Neue Klasse models with the bidirectional BMW Wallbox Professional, which not only charges the vehicle but can also feed energy back into the home when needed.

Homeowners can use the My BMW App and Solarwatt Home app to control their settings. 

“Drivers of a Neue Klasse electric car like the BMW iX3 can use the additional storage to make even more efficient use of self-generated solar power, increase self-consumption, and thus reduce their reliance on expensive grid electricity,” Solarwatt Chief Product Officer Peter Bachmann was quoted as saying.

“For many homeowners, the prospect of expanding an existing home battery storage system with an electric car is highly attractive. This significantly increases the benefits of one’s own PV system, lowers electricity costs, and makes the home even less dependent on purchasing electricity from the grid,” he added.

Launch date

The market launch for the integration of BMW’s bi-directional charging Neue Klasse vehicles into Solarwatt’s new HEMS for vehicle-to-home application is planned for late 2026.

It will be available in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.

“At the same time, bi-directional charging holds enormous potential for the energy transition, as the batteries of electric vehicles collectively form a massive storage reserve. If this flexibility is intelligently integrated into energy markets and households, it can help relieve the strain on power grids, better integrate renewable energy, and make additional storage capacity available quickly and cost-effectively,” BMW Group Vice President for New Business Marcus Krieg noted.

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