Volvo Cars invests in Canadian bidirectional EV charging start-up

Montréal-based smart home energy company dcebl has secured investment from Volvo Cars, it has announced.

Volvo Cars will support dcebl's R&D and go-to-market endeavours through its corporate venture capital arm, Volvo Cars Tech Fund.

The dcebl r16 Home Energy Station is a multifunction bidirectional EV Charger. It converts electricity generation from rooftops solar panels, which is stored inside home batteries.

dcebl says this feature "promises to ease strain on the electric grid". When connected to a compatible smart charger like dcbel r16, bidirectional cars, together with other energy storage systems, can form a "virtual power plant", helping to control energy demand.

Alexander Petrofski, CEO of Volvo Cars Tech Fund, said: "Home Energy Management Systems will play a vital role as we move towards bi-directionality of electric vehicles.

"Rising energy prices coupled with frequent blackouts are challenges faced by consumers today and our investment in dcbel and their technology can help alleviate those challenges for our customers."

Marc-Andre Forget, CEO of dcbel, said: "We are proud to have been selected by Volvo Cars and excited to play an important role in their mission to fully electrify their fleet."

The Home Energy Station will automate all energy management decisions involving the EV, including automated charging to eliminate range anxiety, vehicle-to-home (V2H) peak shaving when utility rates are high, blackout protection immediately following a power outage, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) export optimized based on demand, and protection against battery degradation, dcebl says.