Key milestone: V2G as a cornerstone of e-mobility

Let's take a look back at the progress made. One thing is clear: in 2023 we were just at the beginning of an exciting phase on the path to the impending energy transition.

The trend is unmistakable: electric vehicles (EVs) are set to become the backbone of the transportation shift, even if their growth was slightly less than projected—due to geopolitical tensions and resulting supply chain disruptions across the automotive market. Nevertheless, EVs firmly stand as a foundational element: German registration numbers increased by an impressive 28.2% compared to the previous year, accounting for 18 % of total vehicle registrations. As of October 1, 2023, 2.7% of all passenger cars were purely electric— that's 1.31 million battery-powered vehicles.

_{Addendum to these numbers:
After a challenging year of 2024, the EV market is recovering now: In January alone, 34,500 BEVs were newly registered, marking a 53% increase compared to January 2024 and representing 16.6% of all new registrations that month. This uptick indicates a renewed momentum in the EV market, suggesting that electric vehicles are steadily reinforcing their role in Germany's transportation landscape.}

The installed battery capacity in over a million electric cars contributes more than 80 GWh to the power grid. Even if only a portion of their capacity is utilized, it's a significant factor. For comparison: all German pumped-storage power plants currently provide just about 40 GWh. With the increasing number of battery-electric cars, this potential will continue to grow. This development not only signals a significant impact on the power grid but also heralds the upcoming era of bidirectional charging.​

According to the study “Bidirectional Charging in Germany – Market Development and Potentials,” conducted by the renowned consultancy P3 automotive GmbH on behalf of e-mobil BW GmbH and NRW.Energy4Climate GmbH, by 2030, 5.2 million vehicles will be capable of bidirectional charging, and by 2035, around 21.7 million vehicles—representing 65% of the total electric vehicle fleet in 2035.​

_{Source: www.energy4climate.nrw (German only)}

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) plays a significant role in grid stability. By acting as a massive power plant, the mobile energy storage systems of electric vehicles can buffer power shortages, stabilize the electricity system, and thus prevent potential blackouts. This scenario became a reality on June 25, 2023: due to a power plant failure and a malfunction of a coupling line to Norway, the German power grid lacked capacity. However, our algorithms responded within seconds to this fluctuation. Around 4,500 vehicle batteries stepped in to provide enough energy to meet the needs of approximately 20,000 households - with the potential for up to 74,000 more if the situation had escalated further. By activating these bidirectional energy storage systems, not only was the ramp-up of additional gas and coal power plants avoided, but it also proved that the green energy transition can be realized in everyday life.

Another prime example of the incredible performance of such a battery network was demonstrated in collaboration with the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam. There, 148 stationary 1st- and 2nd-life electric car batteries supplied power for a concert by the successful band Coldplay.

Parked electric vehicles are becoming flexible storage units. According to the Federal Environment Agency, on average, a private car is parked for 23 hours a day, and the average German driver covers only 36 kilometers per day - far less than the batteries' potential, which typically offer a range of around 350 kilometers.

The revenues generated in the energy market confirmed these numbers during a field test at the EUREF Campus from February to July 2022, conducted in partnership with AUDI AG. 18 batteries from Audi e-tron models were used as mobile storage units and part of a smart grid. The result: extrapolated over a year, one battery had revenue potential of €1,556. The risk of excessive battery aging, such as heating of energy cells due to frequent deep discharges, was non-existent. Our intelligent algorithms kept the batteries stable in a "comfort zone."

At Europe's e-mobility summit at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection in November, which was attended by Economic Minister Robert Habeck, high-ranking representatives from seven European member states, and our CEO Marcus Fendt, the focus was on the future of bidirectional charging in Europe. Everyone agreed on the necessity of flexibility for renewable energies and additional energy storage solutions. Improved incentives for vehicle owners were also a central topic. The urgent need for action was recognized. While political statements of intent are crucial, what's needed now are legislative adjustments to concretely harness the flexibility potential of mobile batteries. It's time to take action to prevent the German industry from falling further behind - right now.

We have already demonstrated through numerous projects that bidirectional charging already works today and brings also benefits for customers and the energy system. Our intelligent charging tariff, eyond, aims to achieve this: eyond allows electric vehicle owners to provide their storage during times of high demand. Our technology charges the electric car when green energy is affordable and available in large quantities. This flexibility not only stabilizes the grid but also saves EV drivers real money - up to €250 per year. Users simply need to plug in their car and specify the desired charging flexibility, indicating when the car needs to be fully charged and ready for use again.

The new regulation of the Energy Industry Act marks a milestone: §14a allows grid operators, starting from January 1, 2024, to temporarily reduce the power of heat pumps, refrigeration systems, electric car charging stations, and other so-called 'fully interruptible consumption devices’ to ensure grid stability. This permits a temporary reduction in charging power to 4.2 kW during peak loads. Self-generated energy from personal solar installations can be taken into account.

Why all this? This measure and the associated flexibility are crucial to integrate weather-dependent renewable energies into the power grid more efficiently. In return, electric vehicle owners benefit from reduced grid fees under §14a, saving an average of €160 annually. Additionally, newly installed charging stations with over 4.2 kW charging capacity must be controllable. This approach initiates a long-overdue shift towards intelligent grids and meters.

The market roll-out of alternative engines has reached full speed. Achieving adequate coverage with charging infrastructure requires close coordination with automobile manufacturers. This has been accomplished with confidential cleanroom discussions, where both car and commercial vehicle manufacturers provided details about their product strategies and planned registration figures. The transition to bidirectional charging is speeding up. Initial vehicles supporting this function have already entered the market - such as models from the Volkswagen ID. family. According to VW, previously delivered models will also be retrofitted through updates. Hyundai is also following the V2G-path. In 2025, at least two manufacturers plan to deliver around 25% of their electric vehicles with V2G functionality, with one manufacturer aiming for half and another for 75%.

Explore in our overview which electric vehicles already support V2G.