Four Volvo electric vehicles have delivered electricity back to the local power grid in Gothenburg, Sweden, marking the successful completion of a pilot project exploring vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. The project, launched in November 2023 by Volvo Cars and local energy provider Göteborg Energi, aimed to demonstrate how electric vehicles can support grid stability.
The four Volvo EVs, including at least one EX40, supplied a total of 111 kWh of energy during two events in March, according to a joint statement from the companies. The vehicles were connected using AC wallboxes, selected for their accessibility and cost-effectiveness for everyday users.
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“This is an important step where we are at the forefront globally in showing that the technology works all the way,” said Therese Caesar, project lead at Göteborg Energi’s Effekthandel Väst, the company’s local energy flexibility market. “Now the opportunity for more economical electric car ownership opens up. Power can be sold locally to counteract capacity shortages in the electricity grid and also combined with participation in the national support and balancing service market.”
The pilot aimed to assess not just the technical feasibility of V2G but also its potential role in a future energy system reliant on decentralised resources. The ability of electric vehicles to supply energy back to the grid has been viewed as a key component in balancing fluctuating renewable energy generation.
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Lars Edström, CEO of local grid operator Göteborg Energi Elnät, said at the start of the project that vehicle-to-grid solutions could eventually account for up to 20 per cent of the grid’s flexibility needs. “The potential is very large,” he said.
While it remains unclear how the findings will be implemented, the pilot was intended to validate V2G’s value proposition to grid operators. Volvo Cars has also taken steps to expand its presence in the energy services sector, having launched a dedicated unit in 2023 called Volvo Cars Energy Solutions. The division is tasked with developing energy-related products and services, including home charging and grid integration.