Mercedes-Benz Introduces Bidirectional Charging for EV Owners in Germany

Mercedes-Benz is bringing bidirectional charging to customers in Germany, allowing electric vehicles to do more than simply consume electricity. Through its new MB.CHARGE Home Pro Intelligent service, compatible Mercedes-Benz vehicles can send stored energy back to the electricity grid when connected to a home charging system. This can help owners earn money while also supporting a more flexible and efficient energy network.

The service is being introduced in partnership with The Mobility House Energy and includes a bidirectional DC wallbox, a dedicated electricity tariff and the Mercedes-Benz Charge Home app. The app gives customers an overview of their charging activity, energy fed back into the grid and the credits they receive. The first vehicles to support the service are the fully electric GLC and the new electric C-Class, with more models expected to follow.

For the first 500 customers, the bidirectional ChargeLine Bidi wallbox will be available for €1,990 instead of its regular price of €2,990. Customers will also receive payment for every hour their vehicle remains connected at home, whether it is charging, discharging energy or temporarily paused. Mercedes-Benz says that drivers who leave their vehicles connected for around 12 hours a day could receive an annual bonus of more than €500. Early customers will also receive €250 in public-charging credit.

The 11-kW wallbox supports electric vehicles using both 400-volt and 800-volt technology. By using open standards such as ISO 15118-20, Mercedes-Benz aims to make the system compatible with a wider range of vehicles and energy-management solutions. The company believes that bidirectional charging could reduce wasted renewable energy, lower electricity-system costs and help electric vehicles become active parts of the energy infrastructure.

With this launch, Mercedes-Benz is presenting electric cars not only as a means of transport, but also as mobile energy-storage systems. The service currently begins in Germany, with plans to introduce it in selected additional markets in the future.

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