Volvo joins bidirectional charging race

Chinese-owned Swedish OEM Volvo Cars has made an undisclosed investment through its tech fund in smart home energy company Dcbel, as it seeks to get a toehold in the market for vehicles that can send power to homes, electrical equipment and even back to the grid.

Dcbel’s r16 home energy station manages electricity generated from rooftop solar and stored inside home and vehicle batteries to balance energy needs across the home using intelligent software. Last year, Volvo unveiled the EX90, its first vehicle capable of bidirectional charging.