Finnish electric vehicle charging platform provider Virta and energy management company Voltalis have formed a partnership to develop and test smart charging solutions for electric vehicles, starting with pilot projects in Finland and Sweden.
The companies said the initial phase will focus on demonstrating how controlled and data-driven charging can support grid stability and lower system costs by improving the balance between electricity supply and demand.
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The collaboration will test the technical and economic interoperability between Voltalis’s virtual power plant (VPP) platform and Virta’s EV-focused VPP functions. The companies aim to show that flexible EV charging can provide measurable benefits for grid operators and market participants. Virta said smart charging is becoming increasingly important for grid operators, fleet managers and property owners seeking to optimise charging schedules while enabling higher integration of renewable energy into power systems.
Beyond the Nordic pilot, the two companies said they intend to work with regulators and grid operators to support the participation of electric vehicles in wholesale and balancing energy markets across Europe. “The collaboration will also share technical and operational knowledge to accelerate integration across France, the UK, and other European markets, creating a blueprint for scalable EV flexibility deployment,” Virta said. It remains unclear whether the partnership will extend beyond managed charging to include vehicle-to-grid (V2G) discharging using EV batteries.
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Executives from both companies said the partnership reflects growing links between transport electrification and energy system flexibility. “Virta’s leadership in smart charging and V2G innovation, combined with Voltalis’ expertise in demand-side flexibility, makes this collaboration a critical step in integrating transport and energy infrastructure across Europe,” said Sébastien Condom, senior vice president and head of international at Voltalis. Juha Karppinen, director of energy at Virta, added that the cooperation “opens up a new level of ambition in contributing to the energy market transformation, enabling reduction of volatility in electricity prices, which benefits CPOs, fleets and consumers across Europe.”
