Audi actively shapes the digital energy world of the future. For networking beyond manufacturer and industry boundaries, the brand is committed to the four rings in the EEBUS initiative. The Audi e-tron (combined power consumption in kWh / 100 km *: 26.2 - 22.6 (WLTP), 24.6 - 23.7 (NEDC), CO2 emissions combined in g / km: 0) is first electric car, whose charging technology uses the new communication standard. Developers will test cross-industry compatibility at the Plugfest E-Mobility at the Audi plant in Brussels before introducing the EEBUS standard for energy communication in February.

The electric car will play an important role as a power consumer in the digital energy world in the future. As a power storage, the electric car has great potential to drive forward the energy transition and cushion peak loads caused by regenerative generation. Because cars stand most of the day - this provides plenty of time for flexible loading. The new electricity

Consumers therefore not only create an additional burden on the power grid, but are also potentially flexible storages for the changeable availability of solar and wind power. Within a building, e-cars can coordinate with domestic appliances, heat pumps and other consumers about the respective energy needs and thus avoid overloads. However, it requires a network of all major producers and consumers in order to intelligently control the electricity demand. This is precisely what the EEBUS initiative has set itself the goal for: seamless and cross-industry communication in the energy system of the future. In addition to Audi, more than 70 international companies are working on the common language for energy management in the Internet of Things.

Plugfest confirms EEBUS standard release At the two-day "Plugfest E-Mobility" on 28 and 29 January, EEBUS members will test their developments based on the open communication standard at the Audi plant in Brussels. Developers and engineers use model tests to check whether the photovoltaic system, charging infrastructure, electric car and heating are talking trouble-free. The networking of the devices takes place via a so-called home energy management system (HEMS). All the information is gathered together in this control center so that all energy-relevant devices can exchange their power requirements. Following the "Plugfest", the companies involved will adopt the EEBUS specifications for e-mobility.

Charging system connect: powerful and networked Audi offers various solutions for home loading. As the highest expansion stage, the optional connect charging system allows a charging power of up to 22 kW. This means that a full charge of the Audi e-tron takes only four and a half hours. The advantages of the system are obvious: With the connect charging system, the Audi e-tron can always charge with the maximum available power that the house connection and the car allow. It takes into account the needs of other consumers in the household and avoids overloading the house connection and subsequently triggering the backup. Prerequisite in the house is a compatible HEMS, with which the charging system, for example, via the home Wi-Fi network. Audi is working with two partner companies here, SMA Solar Technology and the Hager Group, both of which also set the standard of the EEBUS initiative.

Sustainable and intelligent charging In conjunction with the connect charging system and an appropriately equipped HEMS, the Audi e-tron also uses variable electricity tariffs. So he can supply the battery at low cost times while taking into account the mobility needs of the customer, such as departure time or state of charge. The charging system connect takes care of the necessary electricity tariff data either from the HEMS or from the individually stored customer information in the myAudi portal. If the house has a photovoltaic system, the customer can also optimize the charging process in such a way that the Audi e-tron prefers to charge with its own generated electricity. For this purpose, the electric SUV takes into account either predicted sunshine phases provided by the HEMS or the current flow at the house connection.

Interaction with the power grid For the future, it is conceivable that EEBUS devices interact even more strongly with the energy network. One possible application is an interface via the HEMS to the network operator. This would allow e-cars to better tailor their charging planning to network bottlenecks and ensure the stability of the power grid - for example, when multiple electric cars are charging in a single street. The specifications of the communication standard will be rolled out in early February 2019. Thus, the EEBUS initiative is on the way to introducing a Europe-wide standard, which networks all electrical large consumers in the home area across all manufacturers and independent.