Hyundai tests EV power-sharing service on Jeju Island
A Hyundai Ioniq 9 uses a bidirectional charger installed at the home of a customer participating in Hyundai Motor Group’s V2G pilot service in Hangyeong, Jeju Island. /Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group
May 15 (Asia Today) — Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it has launched a vehicle-to-grid pilot service for general customers on Jeju Island, using electric vehicles as mobile energy storage systems.
Vehicle-to-grid technology, or V2G, allows electricity to move both ways between an electric vehicle battery and the power grid. The system can store surplus power in EV batteries and send it back to the grid when demand rises.
The pilot program will involve 40 Jeju residents who own Hyundai Ioniq 9 or Kia EV9 vehicles equipped with V2G functions. Hyundai Motor Group selected customers in cooperation with the Jeju provincial government.
The company will provide bidirectional chargers free of charge and cover EV charging costs during the trial period.
Hyundai said it selected participants with different occupations and residential locations to test the service under a range of real-life conditions. The participants include early adopters interested in clean energy and new technology.
The project fits Jeju’s power structure because the island relies heavily on wind and solar energy. Surplus electricity generated during the day can be stored in EV batteries and supplied back to the grid at night when demand increases.
Hyundai Motor Group previously operated a V2G demonstration project in Jeju with mobility platform Socar in the second half of last year. The latest pilot expands the test to ordinary customers.
Industry officials say V2G commercialization could turn electric vehicles into key assets in the energy industry, supporting local energy independence and distributed power systems rather than relying only on centralized power plants.
“We expect this pilot service, directly involving Jeju residents, to contribute to local energy production and consumption in the region,” a Hyundai Motor Group official said. “It will also play a meaningful role in achieving Jeju’s 2035 carbon neutrality vision.”
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260515010004112