Volkswagen, through its energy subsidiary Elli, has announced the launch in Germany of a fully integrated Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) solution for private customers, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. This marks a significant step in the evolution of electric mobility, which is no longer limited to charging vehicles, but extends to their active role within the energy system.

Vehicle-to-Grid is a technology that allows electric cars to exchange energy with the power grid: the battery is not only used to store electricity, but can also feed it back when needed. In this way, the vehicle becomes a kind of mobile battery, helping to balance electricity supply and demand, especially during peak periods.

The Volkswagen and Elli project is designed for a particularly large scale. Thanks to the group’s MEB platform, around one million electric vehicles already in Europe are potentially compatible with bidirectional charging, paving the way for a V2G rollout at a level that is currently unprecedented in the automotive industry.

The offer is not limited to the vehicle itself, but is based on an integrated ecosystem that includes the electric car, an energy management app, a dedicated electricity tariff, a bidirectional DC charging station, and a smart meter. The goal is to enable users to automatically and efficiently manage energy flows between the home, the grid, and the vehicle’s battery.

According to estimates, this system could generate financial benefits for customers between €700 and €900 per year, thanks to reduced energy costs and the ability to monetise the energy stored in the vehicle.

At the core of the initiative is a broader vision: transforming electric cars into a distributed network of batteries capable of supporting the power system. In this scenario, vehicles are no longer just energy consumers, but become active components of the energy infrastructure, contributing to grid stability and the transition towards renewable energy sources.

Innovative technologies for the production and recycling of electric and hybrid vehicles will be presented at E-Tech Europe, taking place 7–9 October 2026 at BolognaFiere, as part of Urban Tech 2026 – The Urban Technology Show, the new event dedicated to e-mobility, traffic, commuting, security, telecommunications & data, and environment.

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