Out in the jungle camping and want the Christmas spirit at your campsite with twinkling lights on a Christmas tree? You could get electricity from a noisy portable power generator (the sort you see at pasar malam stalls) or if you have a Chery OMODA E5, you’ll be able to get electricity to do that from the EV, thanks to its V2L (Vehicle to Load) feature.
‘Powerbank on wheels’
With this feature.the OMODA E5 is like a big ‘powerbank on wheels’. Available in many of the newer EVs, it allows electricity from the battery pack to be used to power external devices or appliances in the home. You could also charge electric bikes or drones (though drone battery packs can be charged using the 12V socket in the cabin).
V2L demonstrated
Chery Malaysia is demonstrating V2L technology at its roadshow in Desa Park City, Kuala Lumpur, where the fully electric OMODA E5 is on display. With an adaptor connected to the charging port, power can be drawn to keep the Christmas tree next to the car running all day.
The battery pack has a 61 kWh capacity which would mean that there would be enough power to last the four days that the roadshow is on (till the night of December 25). After all, how much power would be needed to keep those lights twinkling?
Power for the home
Other devices can also be connected with the 3.3 kW output so the OMODA E5 would be useful if there is a power failure in your home. At least, it can keep the important appliances running for a while and not keep you in total darkness.
But what if the amount in the battery pack gets low? The software will constantly monitor the level and at a certain point, the V2L feature will be deactivated. This is to leave enough energy to run the car and go to a charging station to ‘refill’.
![Chery OMODA E5 EV [2024]](https://www.motaauto.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Chery-OMODA-E5-EV.jpg)
30-minute recharging time (DC)
Preliminary information indicates that it will take 30 minutes to recharge from 30% to 80%, so it could be that 30% is the minimum level for V2L to be active. This recharging time is with a DC charging point with an 80 kW supply. It is also possible to charge from an AC outlet such as a wallbox at home though the time would be longer.
There are many uses for V2L and it would be very useful for emergency rescue teams in areas where there is no electricity or the supply has been cut off. And of course, the OMODA E5 can also be used to provide electricity to another EV so that it can make it to a charging station.
To be launched by March 2024
The OMODA E5 powertrain has an output of 150 kW/204 ps and a claimed range of 430 kms. Chery Malaysia will be launching the new EV by the end of the first quarter of 2024 and if you want to be one of the first owners, you can register your interest at a Chery showroom.
