Mercedes-Benz introduces V2G package for private customers
Mercedes is revealing its V2G ambitions for Germany. After introducing its new V1G home charging tariffs in September, the Stuttgart-based automaker is now launching a bidirectional package that will initially work in Germany with the electric GLC and the new C-Class. The Mobility House is on board as the technology service provider.
Image: Mercedes-Benz
With Mercedes-Benz, another automaker is preparing to launch a Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) offering in Germany. Together with The Mobility House, the automaker will enable its customers to feed electricity from the batteries of current Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles back into the public grid, thereby reducing costs. The keyword here is bidirectional charging (BiDi charging), specifically the V2G subcategory. Similar offerings have recently been announced by Volkswagen/Elli with The Mobility House, BMW together with E.ON, Ford with Octopus Energy, and Renault withThe Mobility House.
At Mercedes-Benz, the new offering is being introduced under the name MB.CHARGE Home Pro Intelligent. Ambitions in this direction were first revealed in April. At that time, The Mobility House leadership told _FAZ_ that a V2G offering – linked to a corresponding private customer electricity tariff – would be launched this year, including for the new Mercedes-Benz electric GLC.
This is now official: “Customers will […] for the first time have the opportunity to not only charge their all-electric vehicles but also actively integrate them into the energy system – and thus earn money with their electric vehicle in everyday life,” the Stuttgart-based company states in a press release. The package consists of a bidirectional DC wallbox and the so-called Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Pro Eco Tariff. Customers can use the Mercedes-Benz Charge Home app to keep track of charging processes, feedback to the grid, and resulting credits.
Initially, the bidirectional offering in Germany applies to the electric GLC and the new C-Class. However, it will soon be extended to many more Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles, including the VLE, GLA, EQS, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, and GLB. “Depending on the vehicle model, the bidirectional charging function will be activated via an over-the-air update after market launch,” the company states. The introduction of this offering in other “selected markets” is also planned.
This new bidirectional offering is already the third smart home charging package Mercedes-Benz has introduced in just a few weeks. In September, the company unveiled two unidirectional home charging offerings, MB.CHARGE Home Dynamic and MB.CHARGE Home Intelligent, which allow charging processes to be shifted to more cost-effective time windows. Both are also supported by The Mobility House and differ primarily in how the electricity tariff is integrated. The newly presented charging package, with its bidirectional design, clearly goes beyond these two options. The economic appeal of V2G charging in Germany is well known, thanks to the MiSpeL regulation (MiSpeL stands for: “Marktintegration von Speichern und Ladepunkten” – Market Integration of Storage and Charging Points) published by the Federal Network Agency at the beginning of the month (link in German).
In the fine print of its new bidirectional offering, Mercedes-Benz specifies that a smart meter is a prerequisite and that usage “may be subject to market-specific conditions regarding legislation and the requirements of energy suppliers.” The bidirectional wallbox itself is an 11-kW DC device (“ChargeLine Bidi”) that supports all electric vehicles with 400- and 800-volt technology and can be kept up to date via OTA updates. Mercedes-Benz emphasises that it is the first automaker to offer a market-ready solution for bidirectional charging in Germany based on open and standardised technologies. “The goal is high interoperability between bidirectionally chargeable Mercedes-Benz vehicles, charging infrastructure, and compatible energy management systems,” it states. Mercedes-Benz relies on open standards such as ISO 15118-20.
And what about credits? Mercedes-Benz will offer the first 500 customers an introductory deal (valid until the end of March 2027): “They will receive the bidirectional wallbox from The Mobility House at the introductory price of €1,990 instead of the regular €2,990. In addition, every hour the vehicle is connected to the wallbox at home will be remunerated – regardless of whether it is currently charging, discharging, or paused,” it states. Early customers will also receive a €250 charging credit on top.
According to Mercedes-Benz: generally speaking, anyone who connects their vehicle to the wallbox for an average of twelve hours a day can currently expect more than €500 euros in bonuses per year. With regular use, the investment in the wallbox can therefore be amortised within four years if customers take advantage of the introductory offer, says Mercedes-Benz. Without the special conditions, it would take six years in this calculation example. The actual bonus amount depends on the vehicle’s availability, increasing or decreasing accordingly with the connected time.
Jörg Bartels, Head of Powertrain Systems at Mercedes-Benz AG, commented: “Bidirectional charging is the next logical step in electromobility for us. We are developing the vehicle from a pure consumer into an active component of the energy system. This connects innovative vehicle technology with more efficient use of renewable energies and creates sustainable added value—for our customers as well as for the energy infrastructure.”
Thomas Raffeiner, CEO of The Mobility House, added: “The electric car is more than a vehicle – it is the battery storage of the future. Together with Mercedes-Benz, we are making bidirectional charging suitable for everyday use. Mercedes-Benz customers can use their vehicle to earn money and reduce their energy costs in the future. At the same time, they contribute to relieving the power grid and to climate protection.”