When the BMW IX3 reaches German customers in March 2026, it won’t just be another electric SUV hitting the market. It will be the first car to launch with a new energy solution developed by BMW and E.ON: a commercial vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system for private households. At the center of it is bidirectional charging. Using the new BMW Wallbox Professional, the iX3’s battery can both draw energy from the grid and feed it back in when needed. That turns the car into a mobile energy storage unit, capable of supporting grid stability during peak demand or periods of low renewable generation.
How the V2G tariff works
E.ON has created a specific tariff for this setup in Germany. Customers who plug in their iX3 and make the battery available for V2G receive compensation—24 cents for every hour connected, capped at €60 per month. Over a year, that adds up to €720, which covers roughly 12,000 to 14,000 kilometers of driving, depending on usage. For many, that means little or no net charging cost.
Control remains in the driver’s hands. Through the My BMW app, owners can set minimum charge levels to ensure the car is always ready for personal use. BMW also says the battery management system keeps the pack within safe operating ranges, avoiding long-term degradation.
Expansion to other new class models
While the iX3 will be the first model to support this technology, it won’t be the last. BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive platform is designed for bidirectional charging, which means upcoming Neue Klasse models, like the i3 (NA0), would also likely qualify for the V2G tariff.
Executives from both companies see this as more than a convenience feature. Marc Spieker of E.ON called it “Neue Klasse meets new energy,” stressing the dual benefit of lower mobility costs for individuals and reduced strain on the wider energy system. BMW’s Joachim Post pointed to the wider goal: making cars an active part of the energy transition.
Looking ahead, BMW and E.ON plan to expand beyond just feeding energy back to the grid. Their roadmap includes connecting home solar panels, heat pumps, and other systems into a unified energy platform. The iX3 is simply the first piece in a much larger puzzle that ties mobility to everyday energy use. For drivers, the immediate appeal is simple: park the car, plug it in, and earn money while it sits. For the grid, the benefit is thousands of small but powerful storage units distributed across the country. And for BMW, it’s another step in proving that electric cars can do more than just move people from A to B.
