The Finnish company sees great growth potential in bidirectional charging for electric cars. The development of their new product was done by a technology and design agency Nextfour.
Bidirectional charging (also known as V2G, Vehicle to Grid) is causing a buzz in the electric vehicle charging market. This is a well-known fact in the Finnish company InterControl, who is launching their own V2G product.
– Bidirectional charging sparks a lot of interest. We receive inquiries daily, where V2G devices are wanted for testing, Sales and Product Manager Ari Tikakoski says.
In bidirectional charging, the electric vehicle can be charged normally. In addition, the car battery acts as energy storage, from which the electricity can be transferred back to the grid.
The idea is that the user can save money by using the electricity from the storage when the electricity price is at its highest. They can also make money with the stored energy in the electricity reserve market, which is used to balance the fluctuations in electricity production nationally.
According to Tikakoski, V2G technology was created to solve the main problem of renewable energy: intermittent production. With bidirectional charging, self-produced electricity, such as wind or solar energy, can be stored and utilised more consistently.
Developed in Turku, Finland
InterControl has done business in the electric vehicle charging market for over 10 years. The company is an expert in advanced charging and energy infrastructure solutions. It imports European devices from a couple of well-known brands.
The company operates in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Up until now, most of the revenue has come from high power and fast chargers, which charge electric vehicles at for instance service stations.
The development of InterControl’s own V2G product started three years ago. The company bought the product development services from the local technology anddesign agency Nextfour.
– They provided us with a comprehensive product development team. They have the expertise in mechanical, electronical and software engineering. This way of working has suited us very well, Tikakoski says.
The power electronics component of InterControl’s V2G device comes from a German partner Ambibox. All other product development has been done in Turku, Southwest Finland.
According to Tikakoski, InterControl will start customer pilots testing the new product with different kind of electric vehicles in the second quarter of the year 2025.
Support from Various Funding Sources
InterControl has received funding for its V2G project from various sources.
The company uses Business Finland’s Market Explorer funding to investigate the new product’s market potential in the Nordic countries. Tikakoski hopes that, with the help of a Nordic partner, it would be faster to enter the Nordic market.
– We have native people helping us who are familiar with the local market in each country, he says.
The company has also received funding from the European Regional Development Fund for establishing the production of the new V2G device. The production facility is in the nearby town Lieto.
The most significant source of funding is the EU project DriVe2X, which focuses on developing new bidirectional charging technologies. In the project, InterControl can test its V2G device in Holland, Portugal and England.
– Drive2X is also a good showcase for us in Europe, Tikakoski says.
Big Opportunities Ahead
InterControl is experiencing exciting times. According to Tikakoski, success requires suitable, motivated partners. The market will open up also when bidirectional charging technology gradually becomes more widely available in electric cars and charging points.
– We see great business potential here. This year we will start minor production, and bigger growth is expected already next year. At its best, this involves business worth tens of millions of euros, Tikakoski says.
Tikakoski’s aim is to make bidirectional charging the company’s main product. The first market area is Finland and Sweden. In Sweden, the V2G device sparks an interest especially in the electricity reserve market, where compensation for the electricity is higher than in Finland.
Tikakoski believes that in international competition, InterControl’s strength is the insight and knowledge of the electric vehicle charging market. Competitors come from Europe, in the future also from the Far East. The key is to get a competitive product released swiftly.
– One shouldn’t stay idle but instead should move forward with determination, Tikakoski says.
Text and photos: Heidi Pelander
This article is part of the TKI-kompassi project, funded by the Regional Council of Southwest Finland.
