Austrian telecom operator A1 has partnered with Renault Austria to test how electric vehicles can supply backup power to mobile phone masts during blackouts, the companies said on Tuesday.
The pilot project, launched in the municipality of Raasdorf near Vienna, uses Renault’s V2L-enabled 5 E-Tech and 4 E-Tech electric models to feed power directly into a mobile network antenna, helping to maintain emergency communications if grid power fails.
“In an emergency, an electric car can be used as a mobile power bank to keep operations going for longer,” said Christian Zeindlhofer, A1’s Head of Risk and Resilience Management.
A1’s Chief Technology Officer said the company ultimately aims to build a crowdsourced nationwide network of mobile energy storage, enabling EV batteries to protect critical infrastructure such as mobile masts, which are especially vulnerable in the event of a blackout.
The use of Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology offers a flexible and largely CO2-free alternative to diesel-powered backup generators, provided the EVs are charged with renewable energy. Though currently limited to a regional trial, A1 and Renault said the concept could be expanded across Austria, Europe and beyond as more V2L-capable vehicles reach the market.
