Renault and The Mobility House Bring V2G Charging to France
Renault, with support from the Munich-based technology firm The Mobility House, has introduced vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging capabilities in France for the Renault 5, marking an important milestone for this technology. Expansion to the UK is planned for 2025, with Germany expected to follow once regulatory barriers are addressed.
In France, Renault's Mobilize division, alongside The Mobility House, has made V2G accessible to consumers. This feature allows car batteries to connect to the power grid in a manageable and scalable way, enabling vehicle owners to earn credits by returning energy to the grid, which could offset or cover charging costs. The Renault 5 and the newly released Alpine A290 are both designed to support this function. Renault's PowerBox Verso AC charging station and the Mobilize Power energy contract, overseen by The Mobility House, will also be required to enable bidirectional charging.
The rollout isn't limited to France. The Mobility House notes that "the UK will follow in 2025, with Germany working on regulatory adjustments for V2G adoption." The Mobility House brings its expertise in battery aggregation, energy trading, and grid service provision, with an innovative tariff structure that benefits customers. An app allows users to set preferred charging levels and customize other key settings.
Battery longevity has been a concern for V2G adoption, but The Mobility House reassures users that battery wear from V2G usage is minimal, and Renault covers the battery warranty.
Explaining the disparity in rollout timelines, The Mobility House highlights the supportive regulatory frameworks in France and the UK, where digitalization and smart meter expansion have enabled quicker V2G adoption. In France, the grid is centrally managed by Enedis, streamlining V2G implementation. Germany, in contrast, has over 900 grid operators, which complicates innovative deployments.
Germany's regulatory obstacles, including double grid fees and delays in smart meter installations, continue to hinder V2G progress. The Mobility House attributes these setbacks to slow adaptation from statutory metering operators and a lack of streamlined processes within grid operators.
The UK, however, has made significant strides. Smart meters are being rolled out nationwide, and the six distribution system operators, aligned through the ENA, have standardized, digitalized processes, facilitating V2G integration.
These varied regulatory landscapes are reflected in Renault's V2G timeline. The German launch of the electric R5 in May omitted V2G due to regulatory delays. While France is ready, German models will initially only feature vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, supporting device charging at 3.7 kW.
Despite these challenges, The Mobility House sees France's V2G launch as a turning point, showcasing EVs' potential as energy storage resources. CEO Thomas Raffeiner emphasizes that this step validates their technical capabilities, with the next goal being cost-free, emission-free EV use in Germany.
The Mobility House is also exploring how V2G charging can support the grid without user inconvenience. Launched in 2023, the company's "eyond" service lets EV owners earn income from unidirectional, and eventually bidirectional, charging flexibility. The service aligns renewable energy availability with user charging needs, providing cost savings to users while bolstering grid stability through a system that aggregates and markets EV flexibility across different energy markets.
Original News Website:
electrive.com,mobilityhouse.com, themobilityhouse.com (Factsheet, PDF)
Tags: #V2G #V2L #vehicle-to-grid #vehicle-to-load