Germany lags European peers on vehicle to grid rollout despite growing pilot activity
By Eve
The German Ministry of Economic Affairs held the third European Summit for Bidirectional Charging, highlighting cross-border progress since 2023 while acknowledging domestic delays in enabling drivers to support the grid. BMW has launched Germany's first commercial V2G service with E.ON, Ford plans a summer 2025 launch with Octopus Energy, Volkswagen targets Q4 2026 through Elli, and Renault and Mercedes aim for late 2025 offerings with The Mobility House. Bidirectional-ready models now include the Renault 5, Ford Capri and Explorer, several Volkswagen vehicles, the Mercedes GLC and BMW iX3, plus a recent MAN electric truck demonstration.
Why it matters: Procurement teams and charge-point operators tracking V2G infrastructure need to align hardware and software roadmaps with staggered OEM launches from 2025 to 2026. Germany's regulatory bottlenecks may delay grid-service revenue streams compared to faster-moving European markets, affecting business-case timelines for bidirectional depot and public charging investments.