Hyundai Motor Group announced on May 15 that it will officially launch a Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) pilot program for general customers in Jeju Island.
V2G technology connects electric vehicle (EV) batteries to the power grid, allowing for two-way energy exchange. This approach transforms electric vehicles from mere transportation into strategic assets for energy storage and distribution.
The company has been operating a V2G pilot program in collaboration with the mobility platform SoCar since the second half of last year and is now expanding it to include local residents.
Forty Jeju residents who own Hyundai's Ioniq 9 or Kia's EV9 and can install V2G bi-directional chargers at their homes or workplaces have been selected as participants.
These participants are early adopters with a strong interest in the environmental benefits of V2G technology. Hyundai Group conducted field surveys to ensure a diverse representation of occupations and residences among the final participants. They will receive free installation of the bi-directional chargers and full coverage of EV charging fees during the pilot period.
Participants will experience a new form of mobility, utilizing their electric vehicles not just for charging but as 'mobile energy storage systems' (ESS) that can store and supply power.
The full implementation of V2G is expected to shift the energy industry from a supplier-centric model to a locally driven economic model. In Jeju, which has a high proportion of wind and solar energy, excess power generated during the day can be stored in electric vehicles and returned to the grid at night, maximizing the utilization and economic viability of renewable energy.
Hyundai Motor Group plans to accelerate the development of the domestic V2G ecosystem and industry activation in collaboration with the government and local authorities through this pilot program expansion.
A Hyundai Group official stated, "We expect the V2G pilot program, which involves direct participation from the residents of Jeju, to support the realization of local energy production and consumption. It will also play a significant role in achieving Jeju's carbon neutrality vision for 2035."
Meanwhile, Jeju is serving as a testbed for carbon neutrality policies, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2035, 15 years ahead of the national target. The island is pursuing various roadmaps to transition its energy production and consumption paradigms.
By 2035, Jeju plans to expand its renewable energy generation capacity to 7GW, increasing its share of renewable energy to over 70%. It will also convert existing thermal power plants to hydrogen combustion and co-firing plants. Additionally, the island is testing technologies to promote distributed energy through regulations on new registrations of internal combustion vehicles and the transition of large buses and trucks to hydrogen vehicles, along with V2G initiatives.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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