BMW Group and solar technology company SOLARWATT are expanding their long-running partnership to integrate BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse electric vehicles into connected home energy systems, further advancing bidirectional charging and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) capabilities.
The collaboration centers on enabling BMW’s Neue Klasse vehicles, including the BMW iX3 and BMW i3, to work seamlessly with SOLARWATT’s Home Energy Management System (HEMS). Through the integration, electric vehicles will function as intelligent energy storage units within residential energy ecosystems, helping homeowners optimize solar power usage, lower electricity costs, and improve energy independence.
BMW said the rollout of bidirectional charging technology will begin with the launch of the first Neue Klasse models. The partnership builds on Germany’s first commercial Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) offering, which became available in March 2026, and now extends functionality into Vehicle-to-Home applications.
Under the new setup, the SOLARWATT Manager HEMS will serve as the central control platform, coordinating energy generation, storage, and consumption across photovoltaic systems, home batteries, electric vehicles, and household devices. BMW’s bidirectional Wallbox Professional charger will enable energy to flow both to and from the vehicle, allowing stored vehicle battery power to be used within the home when needed.
The market launch for integrating bidirectional BMW vehicles into SOLARWATT’s HEMS platform is planned for late 2026 in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.
BMW and SOLARWATT have collaborated on electromobility initiatives since 2013. In 2021, the companies introduced a home battery storage system using battery modules derived from BMW electric vehicle technology. Since 2025, the successor product, SOLARWATT Battery vision, has been available with industrial design work completed by BMW Designworks USA.
The companies said the expanded offering will allow homeowners to manage their energy systems using both the My BMW App and the SOLARWATT Home app. The integrated system will support dynamic electricity rates and solar forecasting to optimize charging and discharging cycles while maximizing self-consumption of renewable energy.
SOLARWATT also noted that its HEMS platform is designed to remain open and compatible with home battery storage systems from other manufacturers, giving customers flexibility to expand their energy ecosystems over time.
BMW said the initiative reflects its broader strategy to connect vehicles more deeply with household energy infrastructure and support renewable energy adoption through intelligent charging and storage capabilities.
KEY QUOTES:
“Drivers of a Neue Klasse electric car like the BMW iX3 can use the additional storage to make even more efficient use of self-generated solar power, increase self-consumption, and thus reduce their reliance on expensive grid electricity. For many homeowners, the prospect of expanding an existing home battery storage system with an electric car is highly attractive. This significantly increases the benefits of one’s own PV system, lowers electricity costs, and makes the home even less dependent on purchasing electricity from the grid.
At the same time, bidirectional charging holds enormous potential for the energy transition, as the batteries of electric vehicles collectively form a massive storage reserve. If this flexibility is intelligently integrated into energy markets and households, it can help relieve the strain on power grids, better integrate renewable energy, and make additional storage capacity available quickly and cost-effectively.”
Peter Bachmann, CPO, SOLARWATT
“Bidirectional charging holds enormous potential for the energy transition, as the batteries of electric vehicles collectively form a massive storage reserve. If this flexibility is intelligently integrated into energy markets and households, it can help relieve the strain on power grids, better integrate renewable energy, and make additional storage capacity available quickly and cost-effectively.”
Marcus Krieg, Vice President New Business, BMW Group
