As part of its broader sustainability strategy, BMW is pursuing bidirectional charging as a key technology to connect electric vehicles (EVs) with the energy system. In the completed joint research project “Bidirectional Charging Management” (BDL), BMW and its partners from the energy industry and research institutions developed and tested vehicle-based flexibility use cases to integrate electric mobility into power systems and households.

The BDL project analyzed different bidirectional use cases and confirmed their technical feasibility and systemic benefits through simulations, laboratory setups and a comprehensive field test with over 50 BMW electric vehicles. Key findings include cost savings of up to 7.5 % in household electricity bills through PV self-consumption optimization (V2H), the potential to reduce peak loads in business settings (V2B), and participation in intraday markets (V2G). The applied modeling tools also showed that a large-scale adoption of bidirectional EVs can reduce the need for stationary storage and provide reduction in the total cost of ownership (TCO).

The technical concept was validated using BMW vehicles equipped with bidirectional charging interfaces and intelligent communication. Backend integration with energy service providers was tested via Smart Meters and standardized communication protocols. However, the path to mass-market rollout remains dependent on reliable interoperability and practical business models.

To build on the success of BDL and develop the solution towards mass adoption, BMW takes part in the follow-up project “BDL NEXT”. The aim is to evaluate mass-market readiness in real-life customer scenarios using BMW Neue Klasse. A central focus of BDL NEXT is the integration of the vehicles into the energy ecosystem of end costumers and the close cooperation with E.ON among others. This includes seamless integration of vehicle and backend systems, tariff optimization, and participation in grid services – all within a standardized and customer-friendly framework.

We are presenting the methodological foundation, field results simulation models which were achieved in BDL and furthermore outlines the next steps in BDL NEXT towards large-scale deployment. It will be demonstrated how bidirectional charging can be embedded into the energy transition to fulfill the customer needs.