VW launching V2G in Germany and rolling out across Europe

[Tell]

Well the latest ID range come with the optional additional inverter to boil a kettle using the EV battery, now at last they will be launching vehicle to grid (V2G) so the car battery can sell electricity back to the grid... least in Germany.

Electric vehicle batteries as grid storage: Volkswagen and Elli to launch Vehicle-to-Grid Offer

Volkswagen, together with Elli, the energy and mobility brand of the Volkswagen Group, is preparing the market launch of a fully integrated Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) offer for private customers in Germany. From the fourth quarter of 2026, Volkswagen customers can not only just charge their electric...

www.volkswagen-group.com

Small catch the invertor cost circa £5,000, bit more pricy than your standard charger... prices will come down. Nodoubt Octopus and Tesla (once they launch their home electricity offer in the UK) will be in there. Something to look out for next year. In this scenario your home electricity battery becomes the car. It's offered elsewhere in the world. Nodoubt it will come to Cupra at some point in the UK.

 

[tracktoy]

I was on a trackday today and met a guy who rolls out Solar stuff and EV Charging infrastructure across Europe.

When I mentioned in the future I might buy a vehicle with VTG, His response was very clear, don't do it because car manufactures battery charging rules are not the same as Solar Panel Battery rules and this will impact the longevity of the battery's.

Not saying he was right but he knows a heck of a lot more than I do about this stuff.

 

[Tell]

Yes I'm interested in it as a backup for power cuts rather than selling back to the grid. The guys probably thinking about the recharge cycles if you were buying and reselling everyday. What Octopus does on some of its tariffs. I don't have a home battery. I was put off, our electric range cooker would empty it every night.You potentially need a new battery every ten years.... but being able to use the car's battery to power the house in a power cut is something else.

 

[tracktoy]

Yes that was very much his point (what is your use case) my battery pack is constantly being used to recharge and run the house but it is designed for this sort of charge cycle but the car charge cycle is very much about 80/90% charge and then gradual run down. We will have to wait and see, personally I am now putting that on to the back burner as I was just looking at this as a cheaper way to increase battery storage capacity.

 

[Tell]

Well it would be alright in an emergency to power the house during grid outage. I opted out not to have the drive dug up since the battery would go in the garage where the panels are. So for a battery you need the heavy duty cable to the garage and back. Currently 20 amps. Sufficient for solar panel output but not for a battery discharging into the house.

Another alternative is a water proof battery like the Tesla power wall outside the backdoor without digging the drive up. Has merit or V2G for those off grid emergencies. Eventually commercial operators will have their battery farms part of the generating infrastructure others buying street corner space. That is already happening round here so home batteries may go to the big boys as cheap off peak is bought up by them. Cheap off peak will have competing markets for EV charging and domestic market of the resellers back to the grid. Little boys verses the big boys.... or check into a hotel when you don't have any power for more than 24 hours.... what my 89 year old neighbour did. Horses for courses.