Normal Motors is taking a look at alternative ways to make the most of electric-vehicle bidirectional charging functionality and a number of cost ports, a newly surfaced patent submitting reveals.
Printed by the USA Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) Dec. 26, 2024, after being submitting by GM Jun. 22, 2023, the doc offers much less with particular {hardware} and extra with utilization schemes and management methods—and stability present out and in of various cost ports.
What it may result in is a better flexibility for charging or discharging EVs at any given time, as vitality storage gadgets.
GM lays out just a few examples of how this functionality could be mixed with a number of cost ports, together with utilizing one port to cost an EV whereas utilizing the second port to ship energy to an exterior energy-storage system.
Normal Motors multi-port bidirectional charging patent picture
One other chance is “daisy-chained” automobiles, with just one automobile really plugged into a standard charging station. That automobile would then be related to a second automobile by way of its different cost port. That second automobile may in flip be used to cost a 3rd automobile in an analogous method, in keeping with GM.
This may require a brand new technology of cost controllers, the patent underscores, and a brand new vary of interested by how folks will use bidirectional charging functionality. A fleet of suitable automobiles could be required as properly.
GM has expanded bidirectional charging throughout its lineup, however solely with one cost port as of but. It is already laid out what giant electrical vehicles would possibly be capable to do with a number of cost ports in a separate patent submitting, although.
Normal Motors multi-port bidirectional charging patent picture
Ford has additionally, in a patent, beforehand laid out what a number of cost ports would possibly accomplish. That features connecting a number of EVs in sequence, just like what GM is discussing right here.
Different automakers, akin to Tesla, have additionally mentioned including bidirectional charging functionality, whereas Volvo has shifted that functionality right into a separate vitality enterprise. Nevertheless it would possibly take mandates like the one proposed by California to additional scale up bidirectional charging—and unlock a number of the prospects GM apparently sees within the tech.