- A trial of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) electric vehicle (EV) workplace chargers is starting, with the aim of lowering the cost of the technology for fleets.
- Until now, V2G has only been possible with EVs featuring CHAdeMO (DC, or high power) charging technology, as featured on the Nissan Leaf.
A trial of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) electric vehicle (EV) workplace chargers is starting, with the aim of lowering the cost of the technology for fleets. The V2VNY project is exploring the effectiveness of reducing carbon emissions and lowering energy costs by using an AC (alternating current) V2G charger.
AC is more cost-effective for vehicle-to-grid charging at workplaces and homes than DC (direct current). The first chargers have now been installed for the V2VNY trial, which aims to demonstrate a commercially viable way for fleets, businesses and EV drivers to save money and for the UK to reduce the load on the electricity grid at peak times.
The V2VNY project is being led by Hangar 19 in partnership with CrowdCharge and DriveElectric. CrowdCharge has been running V2G in homes for over three years with effective results. Other project partners are Electric Corby, Oxfordshire County Council, Grid Beyond and JLR. JLR is providing prototype electric vehicles for use in the trial.
Mike Potter, CEO of CrowdCharge, said, “The UK has a huge and largely untapped battery storage capability in the form of over one million electric vehicles that spend most of their time parked up. Using this resource can help reduce the load on electricity networks at peak times, as well as lowering costs and carbon.
Potter noted, “This project will trial how the latest EVs used as mini power plants to benefit businesses, electricity operators and the country as a whole.” Vehicle-to-grid charging means that an EV can take power from the grid and send it back.
If an EV is charged when electricity prices are low and then returns electricity back to the grid at peak times when prices are high, fleet/building owners can save on electricity costs. The V2VNY project is also trialling sending energy from EVs to buildings and to other vehicles as part of V2X (Vehicle to Everything).
Until now, V2G has only been possible with EVs featuring CHAdeMO (DC, or high power) charging technology, as featured on the Nissan Leaf. Virtually all of the latest EVs now use CCS (DC) charging technology rather than CHAdeMO; standards exist to ensure CCS technology works with V2G by 2025.
However, the V2VNY trial uses AC bi-direction rather than DC charging technology, in which the innovative charger synchronises with the grid. The AC solution is more efficient at low power and is therefore more suited for the use of V2G in a workplace or domestic setting, as well as meaning much lower costs for a charger.
V2G is seen by many industry experts as offering an important way to store energy generated by renewables and then supply this back to the grid at peak times to help reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels and to accelerate progress to net zero.
V2VNY trial participants are provided with a free V2G EV charger that can be kept after the project ends; they need compatible EVs on their fleet that feature AC V2X technology. The V2VNY Phase 2 project, part of the V2X Innovation Programme, is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and delivered by Innovate UK.
The V2X Innovation Programme is part of the up to £65 million Flexibility Innovation Programme, funded from the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. The V2VNY trial commenced in September 2024 and runs through to the end of March 2025.