Using the Smart #1 as a solar Battery

  • Hi all

    I've been toying with the idea of getting Solar panels at home.

    Basically I've got the following quotes:

    • Solar Only £6.3k; Self Consumption of 45% and 12 years pay-back
    • Solar and 5kWh battery £10.3k Self Consumption of 82% and 13 years pay-back; and
    • Solar and 10kWh battery ££12.3k Self Consumption of 91% and 14 years payback.


    However, I was wondering if anyone knew if the Smart #1 had Vehicle to Grid - and, whether it would be possible to use that as the battery itself (hence saving about £4-6k).

    I appreciate that on the days I needed to use the car it would obviously not be powering the House or supplying the National Grid - but I usual travel by train to work; so the vast majority of the time the car will be sitting at home.

    Has anyone done anything similar?

    If I wanted to use the car too directly power my home in a power cut - does anyone know if the Smart #1 will be able to deal with this itself or do you need additional equipment and controls?

    I would be interested to hear peoples experiences or thoughts about this - and you'll have to forgive me if its a dumb question as I know nothing ab out electrical installations :)

  • Moritz Leicht

    Hat den Titel des Themas von „Using the Smart #1 as a Battery“ zu „Using the Smart #1 as a solar Battery“ geändert.
  • However, I was wondering if anyone knew if the Smart #1 had Vehicle to Grid - and, whether it would be possible to use that as the battery itself (hence saving about £4-6k).

    Yes, it does. Works more or less the same way as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 does. You'll get a rather cheap adapter for the type 2 socket of the car and with its help you can power tools with up to 3,6 kW.


    BUT you can't give it back to the grid. You can only get energy out of the smart separate from the grid, directly from the car. Same as with the Ioniq 5 and the EV6.


    If I wanted to use the car too directly power my home in a power cut - does anyone know if the Smart #1 will be able to deal with this itself or do you need additional equipment and controls?

    It would get a bit complicated and you would have to know what you are doing. And you would be limited to 3,7 kW. So depending on what you do in the house, it could happen that you overload the smart and it shuts off.


    I would be interested to hear peoples experiences or thoughts about this - and you'll have to forgive me if its a dumb question as I know nothing ab out electrical installations :)

    You might be the first one to ask this here. But you surely aren't going to be the last one. When I've got my smart #1 and got some experience with this, I'm definitely going to write a in depth tech article about the topic on this website. ;)

    smart BRABUS #1 in gelb, 04/2023; > 20.000 km

    smart fortwo Coupé 451er ED 3,7 kW-Lader, 05/2013; > 280.000km (bei 250.000 km 22 kW nachgerüstet)

    smart fortwo Cabrio 453er EQ 22 kW-Lader, 04/2021 - 08/2023; 42.000 km

    smart fortwo Coupé 453er EQ 22 kW-Lader, 05/2018 - 05/2021; 109.000km


    "Aus Gaspedal wird Spaßpedal"

    - Smart

  • Hi

    Your pricing in not to far off for Europe. My Brother installed a system with Battery backup in Germany and he is tithing me about his low energy usage from the grid.

    He ask me if I put up a Solar system and if I could use my Smart as Battery backup. I told him no. The only Car I new was the new Ford F150 Lightning Pickup Truck with the optional upgrade and the cost about $100K US.

    A 8 KW solar system without Battery is $36K (2017 Quote) here in the US. At less the $0.10 a KWh for Hydropower here in the Pacific Northwest it does not make sense to invest into solar yet.

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