Support CleanTechnica’s work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe.
Why EU type approval is the missing lever to make every EV a grid asset.
In 2024, T&E highlighted the potential of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), and bi-directional charging of Electric Vehicles (EVs). EVs are ‘Batteries on Wheels’, delivering flexibility benefits for the electricity grid, supporting the integration of more renewables, and delivering lower charging costs for EV drivers.
The potential of V2G is increasingly recognised, but deployment remains limited. This briefing examines how V2G can scale and identifies the barriers that continue to constrain its uptake. It argues that the EU vehicle type-approval framework represents a critical policy lever to enable large-scale deployment.
In the context of the European Union’s type-approval standards, T&E supports the introduction of a voluntary ‘V2G-ready’ label on the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) for new EVs. This should be introduced as soon as possible. Such a ‘V2G ready’ label is conditional on the EV meeting the following requirements:
Compliance with the same interoperability standards (e.g. ISO 15118-20) as those required for the charger (EVSE, Electric Vehicles Supply Equipment) under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation;
Compatibility of the EV inverter with European grid codes on Requirements for Generators and Demand Response, which should be adopted soon by the European Commission;
Integration of an onboard charger capable of DC-AC inversion;
Sharing of EV battery data, mandated under Article 20a of the Renewable Energy Directive with third parties, including state of health, state of charge, power set point, battery capacity, and, where appropriate, the location of EVs;
Manufacturers should not restrict access to V2G capability required under type approval through paywalls or activation fees.
By 2032, the requirements underpinning the voluntary ‘V2G-ready’ label should be incorporated into mandatory EU vehicle type approval for all new EVs sold.
Briefing from T&E.
Sign up for CleanTechnica’s Weekly Substack for Zach and Scott’s in-depth analyses and high level summaries, sign up for our daily newsletter, and follow us on Google News!
Advertisement
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Sign up for our daily newsletter for 15 new cleantech stories a day. Or sign up for our weekly one on top stories of the week if daily is too frequent.
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.
CleanTechnica’s Comment Policy
