An electric car has enormous potential to contribute to society. The car’s batteries can be used as energy storage ready to support and relieve the electricity grid.

The technology, called V2G (vehicle to grid) or two-way charging, has long been on the back burner and now the VW group together with the network company Elia Group is taking a step towards how it can be practically implemented.

The companies must together investigate opportunities and identify challenges with V2G – with the goal of realizing the technology as quickly as possible.

– A necessary key to being able to reach climate neutrality lies in linking the energy and mobility sectors. Using electric car batteries as mobile power banks provides triple the effect. First, climate benefits when renewable energy can be stored and used more efficiently. Secondly, the electric grid benefits when the car can contribute to maintaining grid stability and thirdly, customers can earn extra with various V2G services, says Elke Temme, CEO of Elli, the company responsible for all activities related to charging and energy within VW- the group, in one statement.

“The rapid transition of electric vehicles underlines the need”

In the agreement that Elli and Elia Group signed, it appears that there are mainly four areas that the companies must focus on.

Price and subsidies. To explore different ways of using different price levels to get electric vehicle owners to use their assets as a decentralized storage unit – and thus support the energy system.

Market design. Explore how to give consumers the freedom to choose their energy supplier – regardless of where their vehicle is parked. This also involves working towards tearing down walls that prevent consumers and larger fleet owners from choosing their supplier/operator at charging points.

Reliable data. Ensuring that electric vehicle data can be recognized as reliable and secure for energy system use.

Data security and secure connection. Explore mechanisms that allow secure transmission of data as well as how roles and responsibilities related to controlling charging behavior in electric vehicles are defined while keeping the connection secure.

In the collaboration, Elli will contribute with its experience of charging infrastructure, mobility services and the transparency that energy companies have. Elia Group’s knowledge relates to the electricity grid and how the energy transformation can provide new opportunities and challenges there.

– The rapid transition of electric vehicles underlines the need for cooperation between the energy and mobility sectors. We want to enable vehicle owners to charge their electric vehicles while keeping the electrical system in balance. As a next step, the batteries in these cars can also be used in such a way that they contribute to the general level of energy comfort for end users, said Chris Peeters, CEO of Elia Group, in the statement.