Vehicle to grid EV charging trial aims to cut tech costs

A trial of vehicle to grid (V2G) electric vehicle (EV) workplace chargers is starting that aims to lower 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 at 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.

“This project will trial how the latest EVs can be 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 also send it back.

If an EV is charged when electricity prices are low and then return 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 is using AC bi-direction rather than DC charging technology, 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 to 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 which can be kept after the end of the project; they need compatible EVs on their fleet which 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), 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.

Read more on how to earn money from your parked electric vehicles with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) in our Electric Fleet Charging Insight special report.