The Inverger™

Eetrex’s proprietary inverter-charger or Inverger™ is the first integrated development of a charger-inverter unit for automotive applications. It provides two-way electrical energy flow necessary for vehicle-to-grid (V2G), vehicle-to-home (V2H), and vehicle-to-auxiliary equipment (V2X) applications.

Eetrex’s Inverger™ design is lightweight, highly efficient, compact and robust, making it ideal for use with Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV). The Inverger™ enables bi-directional energy transfer directly between an automotive battery and any number of integrated power systems including the electrical grid, home or business.

This capability is invaluable during extended power outages, and will form the distributed energy storage backbone for the smart utility grid of the future. Integrating vehicle batteries and the grid is a paradigm shift that will enable clean, renewable energy, such as wind or solar, to be stored on vehicles and then used for transportation, as auxiliary power, to power homes, and for grid optimization. This device makes it possible for mass adoption of clean, renewable energy sources, reducing the need for fossil fuels.

We have demonstrated the Inverger™ technology in the laboratory and performed preliminary tests in PHEV Escape vehicles. The next generation Inverger™ will include a flexible architecture, be automotive and truck grade, and scalable to address all markets – personal vehicles, commercial and government fleets, the utility and telecommunication industries, and military applications. Eetrex’s strategic partner, Methode Electronics, will manufacture the Inverger™ in their worldwide-certified factories.

Eetrex will be taking orders for Inverger™ demonstration units starting June 1, 2012. Contact us at talk@eetrex.com to learn more

Dowload data sheet

Vehicle to House allows a vehicle to provide electricity to a target that is not grid-connected. For example, a remote cabin could be powered simply by connecting the BEV with V2H to a load center. An Inverger™ equipped BEV can also be used on a grid-connected house, and will allow the owner to feed power directly to the home from the BEV battery system via a simple plug-in connection, and would provide uninterrupted service during power outages and emergency situations where electric power is needed. Using a V2H-equipped BEV is similar to a home-sized uninterruptible power supply (UPS) as is commonly used on computers.

Vehicle to X is unlimited in its potential. The Inverger™ enables the BEV battery to directly power many independent applications that require remote or transportable power such as recreational vehicles, refrigeration vehicles, and tools and auxiliary equipment for remote job-site locations that would otherwise require a portable gas or diesel generator. Construction vehicles can provide power at new construction sites, replacing noisy and high polluting gasoline or diesel generators. Emergency vehicles can provide power during times of power outages (floods, hurricanes, major storms, etc.) Any situation that currently requires petroleum-based fuel generators for power can be replaced with clean electricity. The amount of power and duration is limited only by battery capacity and model of the Inverger™. V2X is also applicable for auxiliary equipped vehicles such as bucket trucks, garbage trucks, compressor trucks, recreational vehicles, snow plows, refrigeration, and for idle reduction in over-the-road tractor-trailers.

Vehicle to Grid technology allows a bi-directional flow of energy between a vehicle and the electricity grid. The Eetrex Inverger™ allows the utility company to use plugged in vehicles as storage devices during times of high-energy generation and low demand. This provides highly efficient use of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar generation. Eetrex is participating in demonstration projects with utilities, municipalities, and auto manufacturers to gain the knowledge needed to successfully integrate and grid-manage the stored renewable energy in PHEVs until it is needed. The operational and societal impacts that the grid will experience as the major vehicle manufacturers begin rolling out plug-in electric vehicles is expected to be profound. Soon thereafter, when there are millions of electric vehicles with V2G capabilities on the road, the benefits to the owner operator and the utilities will be unleashed.

V2G Benefits to Utilities

  • Efficient grid management
  • Reduced requirement for expensive spinning reserve generators - the extra generating capacity that is required to meet peak demand
  • Grid regulation (voltage and frequency stabilization)
  • Dispatchable reactive power for improved power factor efficiency.
  • Peak demand services (demand response)
  • Load leveling services
  • Reduced operating and planning reserves
  • Reduced line losses by load leveling transmission
  • Improved power plant efficiency—reduces need for new power plants because vehicles can dispense power to the grid during peak loads and then be recharged during off-peak hours at cheaper rates while also helping to absorb excess night time generation. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory estimates 84% of U.S. cars, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles could be supported by the existing utility infrastructure.
  • Improved power factor
  • Storage & integration of renewable power (wind & solar)
  • Emergency power supply
  • Electric transit power support

Economic Benefits to Utilities, Customers and the Environment

  • Increases utility revenues from additional transportation consumption—while lowering consumer's total energy/fuel bills (gasoline at $.60/gal Equivalent)
  • Spreads utility fixed costs over more energy sold
  • Lowers consumer's transportation costs
  • Reduces green house gases by up to 27%
  • Reduces urban air pollution by up to 80%
  • Reduces dependence on foreign oil by 52%