A pilot project covering 12,000 public electric vehicle charging points has been launched in the Dutch province of Gelderland to encourage drivers to charge during periods of lower electricity demand through financial incentives.
The initiative brings together Dutch distribution system operator Liander, technology provider Deftpower, charge point operators Vattenfall and Allego, and e-mobility service providers ANWB and Athlon. The partners will evaluate whether rewarding flexible charging behavior can reduce peak electricity demand while maintaining driver convenience.
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The trial will run until January 2027 and covers approximately 12,000 public charging points across Gelderland.
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Instead of limiting charging power or introducing regulatory restrictions, the project offers participating drivers a partial refund on charging costs if they allow the system to postpone charging until periods when the local electricity grid is under less strain.
Drivers enter their planned departure time and desired battery charge level through the existing mobile applications of participating e-mobility service providers.
Using that information, smart algorithms automatically schedule charging during grid-friendly time windows while ensuring the requested battery level is reached before departure.
Deftpower combines real-time vehicle information with electricity market data and local grid conditions through a one-time authorization, allowing the system to optimize charging without affecting the driver’s travel plans.
Participants receive a financial reward averaging around 10% of their charging costs, which is paid or credited directly through the participating apps.
Marc Diks, Chief Operating Officer of Deftpower, said the project demonstrates how flexibility can support electricity networks without affecting reliability.
“We need to use flexibility where it is available, not where it compromises reliability.”
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The partners said the platform continuously responds to local grid conditions, renewable energy availability and each driver’s charging requirements to determine the optimal charging schedule.
The pilot also serves as a reference project for future flexibility markets across Europe, where growing electric vehicle adoption is increasing pressure on electricity distribution networks.
Its launch follows changes introduced in the Netherlands in July 2026, when grid operators no longer received automatic priority for new grid connections in congested regions, increasing the importance of software-based demand management solutions.
The project is expected to generate data on drivers’ willingness to adapt their charging behavior and demonstrate how distributed charging flexibility can be integrated into electricity markets.
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Gilbert de Graaf, Director of Market Services at Liander, said public charging can play an important role in making better use of existing grid capacity.
“More and more people are charging their cars in public spaces. If some of these charging sessions are shifted to off-peak hours, we can use the power grid more intelligently without compromising user convenience.”
The project partners expect the findings to contribute to industry guidelines that could support future flexibility markets, where energy suppliers and distribution system operators temporarily adjust electricity demand or generation to help maintain grid stability as electric vehicle adoption continues to grow.