Low-Cost Interoperable AC Bidirectional Charging Solution

Rivian Automotive, LLC

Recipient

Recipient Location

beenhere

Amount Spent

refresh

Active

Project Status

Download Project

Project Update

The project team held a CEC kickoff meeting in October 2025 and submitted key planning deliverables. These documents project and breakdown the cost of the EVSE prototypes and detail the testing and validation plan that the team will carry out. The team also developed product requirements for the bidirectional EVSE package and metrics for evaluating overall project success. NDAs with Technical Advisory Committee members have been completed, with the first TAC meeting planned for Q1 2026. The project team also kicked off work with their subrecipient, GRID Alternatives, to develop a voice of the customer research plan.

The Issue

V2X technology has enormous potential to contribute to downward pressure on electric rates, contribute meaningfully to the state’s load shift goal, improve grid reliability and customer resiliency, and support integration of renewable energy. However, commercially available V2X systems are expensive and not widely interoperable. Most of the systems available today can only function with a single vehicle model. Additionally, many of these systems require upgrades to a home’s electrical panel and the installation of additional components. This can add significant cost and time and limits the availability of V2X for EV drivers that live in older homes.

Project Innovation

The project will develop a level 2 bidirectional charger that addresses barriers to adoption through a two-system product architecture: a charger and an islanding device. The islanding device will be installed between the utility service entry and the main electrical panel, acting as the central interface and automatically isolating the home during grid outages. This device will be rated to handle the current carrying capacity of typical residential panels, eliminating the need for a dedicated critical load panel in many cases, which reduces cost and simplifies installation.

Project Goals

Meet key performance, safety, and grid interconnection standards.

Reduce total installation cost by at least 35 percent compared to competitors.

Develop a system that is interoperable with non-Rivian EVs capable of AC bidirectional charging.

Project Benefits

The project reduces energy costs and promotes equity by reducing the upfront cost of installing a V2X system and allowing a broader set of customers to participate in utility programs that can significantly lower a customer’s energy burden and their total cost of ownership of an EV. By focusing on broad interoperability and incorporating input from market research focused on households in disadvantaged and low-income communities, this project will support access to the benefits of V2X for a variety of EVs across different price points. The project will improve electric grid reliability and drive down rates by developing an AC bidirectional charging product that conforms with industry standards and enables widespread use of EVs as distributed energy resources by reducing the cost of V2X systems. When aggregated, this supports grid reliability through increased availability of dispatchable assets across broad geographic areas, and the ability to either reduce load or increase supply in a highly localized manner.

Consumer Appeal

Prioritize broad interoperability

Affordability

Lower installed costs for bidirectional charging technology and drive downward pressure on rates by enabling widespread use of EVs as bidirectional, dispatchable assets that can cost-effectively support grid reliability