Wallbox, a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management solutions worldwide, introduced Quasar 2, the latest generation of its bidirectional home chargers designed specifically for the North American market. As well as enabling EV owners to charge and discharge their electric vehicle to power their home or the grid, Wallbox’s latest innovation is designed to give EV drivers the ability to isolate their home from the grid and use their EV for backup power during a blackout.

Quasar 2 retains the advanced features and functionality of its predecessor, Quasar, while offering blackout mode, a first-of-its-kind feature that allows EV owners to use their car as an emergency generator in instances of power outages.

With Blackout Mode, users are able to use their EV battery to power their home in the event of a power outage. Quasar 2 seamlessly transitions a home to vehicle energy when the power goes out. Depending on the car and energy usage Quasar 2 is expected to be able to power a home for more than three days during a blackout based on an average household’s critical consumption.

The average American experienced more than eight hours of power interruption in 2020. Whether it’s caused by an earthquake, hurricane, wildfire or simply related to an overload on the power grid, a power outage can have a detrimental impact on homeowners that can last for hours or even days. With blackout mode, we are able to offer EV owners some relief by helping mitigate the impact of a major energy disruption in the home. —Douglas Alfaro, General Manager of Wallbox North America.

Quasar 2 allows EV owners to save on home energy costs through vehicle-to-home (V2H) functionality. In states where power rates are related to demand, users can schedule charging sessions at times when rates are low and discharge their car to power their home when rates are high. Users who have solar panel installations can also store excess energy in their EV during low usage periods and then harness this energy at another time, including peak periods, to reduce their reliance on the grid.

Quasar 2 has been designed to be compatible with existing infrastructure in the US to promote optimal efficiency. Providing up to 11.5 kW/48 Amp of power for charging and discharging, it is even more powerful than its predecessor. Quasar 2 offers CCS compatibility and connects to the myWallbox app through Wifi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, or 4G.

Through the use of an accessory, users can unlock Quasar 2’s additional functionality that allows users to isolate their homes from the grid and power a critical load to their home with energy from their EV. On average, an EV can power a critical load for a home in the US for at least three days.

Wallbox will also showcase its extensive line of hardware and software solutions for the home, business and public sectors at CES 2022, including:

• Pulsar Plus (40A and 48A) – Wallbox’s best-selling home charger worldwide is compatible with all EVs, including Teslas, using the Tesla-provided J1772 adapter. Features include flexible amperage setting, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, charge scheduling, power sharing, the myWallbox app, and voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
• Eco-Smart and Power Boost – The company’s first home energy management features available for EV drivers in the U.S. are embedded features in every pulsar plus and only require a power meter and the myWallbox app to activate. Eco-Smart Solar EV Charging is an Energy Management System (EMS) that makes your Wallbox charger a key part of any sustainable home energy system. Use the green energy generated from your solar panels (PV) or wind turbines at home to charge your electric vehicle in an efficient and sustainable way. With two modes to choose from, you decide when to go fully green or charge with a mix of green and grid energy. Power Boost is designed to allow installation of a more powerful charger where the home’s electrical capacity might otherwise require limiting the power available for EV charging. Power Boost measures the real-time energy usage of a household and dynamically adjusts EV charging power. This permits users to install a more powerful EV charger in their homes.
• Quasar – The first bidirectional charger for home use allows you to charge and discharge your electric vehicle so you can use your car battery to power a home or building or sell energy back to the grid. With Quasar, your EV energy goes beyond driving. Quasar is currently available in select European and APAC markets.
• Supernova – Supernova is Wallbox’s next generation DC fast-charger that has been designed to satisfy the industry’s desire for reliable and efficient public charging that benefits both electric vehicle drivers and chargepoint operators. Wallbox announces the North American version of Supernova, specifically designed for the US market and estimates pre-series production to begin during Q4/2022 in Wallbox’s factory in Arlington, TX. Supernova’s NA version ranges from 65 to 130 kW of power, offering a substantially faster charge, being able to provide up to 120 miles of range in less than 15 minutes. Its light and modular design offers the flexibility to upgrade power in the future, easier transportation, effortless installation and simpler access for maintenance.
• Hypernova – Wallbox’s first ultra-fast charger. With up to 350 kW of power, it is ideal for charging locations aimed at long-distance traveling, such as by a highway or national route. Hypernova has the capacity to fully charge an average EV in less than 15 min. Production and deliveries of Hypernova will initiate in 2023.
• Copper 2 – Wallbox will present its latest Business charger for the European market. With 22kW charging power, Copper 2 has been rigorously designed to close the gap in business charging needs, bringing a new take on Business EV charging. The new charger addresses companies’, installers’ and drivers’ need for more robust and reliable chargers, that are user-centric and come with energy management, installation and maintenance options. Copper 2 is expected to begin production in Q3 2022.
• Commander 2 – Commander 2 is Wallbox’s most user-centric 22kW EV charger. Having already been available in the EMEA and APAC markets, Commander 2’s user centric touchscreen has been embraced by businesses. Wallbox has recently expanded Commander 2’s offering to provide out-of-the-box 4G connectivity to ease installation and guarantee the highest up-time, as well as offering users a myWallbox Business subscription to more efficiently manage multiple chargers.
• Sirius – Sirius is Wallbox’s first Energy Management Solution for Businesses. This pioneering energy management solution seamlessly integrates the electric grid with your company’s renewable energy sources, on-site batteries and other sources. At the same time, it balances them in real-time to cover your building’s power demand and is designed to optimize energy costs and environmental impact. Sirius can even work in tandem with Quasar, Wallbox’s bidirectional charger, enabling buildings to utilize an EV fleet as an additional source of energy. Sirius is leading the transition to more sustainable, reliable, and less expensive energy use for businesses.