When it comes to solar energy, the Intersolar show (this week, in Munich) is said to be the largest in the world. Mitsubishi is there shwoing its i-MiEV electric model, but the manufacturer isn’t showing its car as a car. It tells visitors its car is the perfect buffer battery for a house fitted with solar panels. There might be a demand here, as this is a big concern for homeowners, maybe the biggest one. When someone puts photovoltaic cells in his house: what to do with the electricity? Sending it to the grid, or keeping it at home for later use? The last solution is more tempting, but it’s also very costly. A bank of stationary batteries costs thousands, and that leaves room for a third solution, from Mitsubishi.

That involves getting an electric car with a bidirectional charger, and a power box to convert the electricity from the car into the standard home electricity. The technology is still new in Europe, but Mitsubishi has been selling it for several months in Japan, where it proved satisfactory. The only issue being that the car owner must accept the idea of discharging his car to wash his clothes, or whatever. Decisions, decisions…