This photo shows a charging station for electric vehicles in Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor Group will roll out South Korea’s first vehicle-to-grid (V2G) pilot service next month on Jeju Island, enabling electric vehicles to function as energy resources by sending stored electricity back to the grid, the company announced Friday.
The pilot project stems from a partnership Hyundai signed in September with Jeju Province to support the island’s green hydrogen and distributed energy ecosystem. The V2G system uses a bidirectional charger that not only charges an EV battery but also discharges electricity from the vehicle back into the power grid.
Hyundai said its V2G platform determines the optimal timing and volume of charging and discharging by analyzing electricity demand, supply conditions and price signals through real-time communication between EVs, chargers and the grid. Vehicles charge when electricity prices are low and demand is weak, and supply power back to the grid during peak periods.
Under the pilot program, Hyundai and Kia will oversee operations and technology verification, while Hyundai Engineering will conduct charging-service analysis and propose upgrades. Jeju Province will work on regulatory adjustments, and Korea Electric Power Corp. will manage grid integration.
Visitors examine electric vehicles on display at the 7th International Electric Vehicle Expo held at ICC Jeju in Seogwipo, Jeju. (Yonhap)
Hyundai said commercializing V2G could help stabilize the national power grid by smoothing out imbalances in supply and demand. On Jeju, where wind and solar account for a large share of power generation, EVs could absorb excess renewable energy during the day and send it back to the grid at night, improving both efficiency and economic value.
Beginning early next month, Hyundai will recruit Ioniq 9 and EV9 owners with home or workplace chargers to participate in the trial. The company will also launch a full V2G service in the Netherlands at the end of next month—the first automaker to do so there—and plans to expand to more European markets in 2026.
Hyundai already offers Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) emergency power services in the United States, enabling EVs to supply electricity to homes during natural disasters such as wildfires.
“This V2G rollout in Korea and abroad will strengthen Hyundai Motor Group’s EV competitiveness and play a catalyst role in leading the eco-friendly mobility and future energy markets,” said Chung Ho-geun, executive vice president of Hyundai’s Future Strategy Division.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
