Martel Innovate joined leading policymakers, regulators, and industry innovators in Brussels on 20 November 2025 for the V2G Leaders Europe Summit. As the European Union advances its “Clean, Competitive and Connected” agenda, the summit made one message clear: Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) is no longer a pilot concept, but a critical implementation priority for 2030.
Organised by the European Commission (DG ENER, DG CNECT, and DG RTD), the event addressed the growing convergence of energy, mobility, and digital infrastructures. With electric vehicle (EV) sales increasing six-fold since 2020, EVs are on track to become the largest source of flexibility in the European energy system, operating as distributed assets and Virtual Power Plants (VPPs).
Data exchange and digital infrastructure as enablers of V2G
A recurring theme throughout the summit was the need for robust data exchange frameworks and sovereign digital infrastructures to support large-scale V2G deployment.
Speakers including Mechthild Wörsdörfer (DG ENER) and Thibaut Kleiner (DG CNECT) highlighted the upcoming Network Codes for Data Exchange as a cornerstone for interoperability across Europe. These codes are expected to play a decisive role in ensuring that EVs, charging infrastructure, and grid operators can communicate seamlessly and securely across national borders.
The V2X cluster: €80 million driving V2G scale-up
One of the most concrete takeaways from the V2G Leaders Europe Summit was the spotlight on the V2X Cluster, representing €80 million in combined funding across eight EU-funded projects.
These initiatives are addressing the key technical, market, and regulatory barriers to scaling Vehicle-to-Grid solutions, including:
- Double taxation of energy flows
- Smart metering and settlement challenges
- Cross-border interoperability
- Grid integration and standardisation
Together, they are laying the groundwork for a pan-European V2G ecosystem.
Regulatory timeline: what to expect by 2027
The summit also clarified the EU regulatory roadmap for V2G and V2H (Vehicle-to-Home):
- By 2027: Fully interoperable and standardised V2G/V2H solutions are expected to be widely available
- AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation) will provide the regulatory backbone
- ISO 15118-20 compliance will become mandatory for privately accessible charging infrastructure from January 2027
This timeline gives industry and public authorities a clear signal to move from experimentation to deployment.
Unlocking new business models for energy flexibility
Innovation in V2G business models was another major focus. Industry leaders such as The Mobility House and Virtapresented evidence that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) remain significantly underutilised assets.
According to projections shared at the summit, €4–6 billion in flexibility-related revenues could be unlocked by 2035, provided that regulatory certainty, data access, and market mechanisms are aligned.
Broader implications for Europe’s energy and mobility future
The consensus from Brussels was clear: the future of mobility must be software-defined, interoperable, and made in Europe.
The push for sovereign digital infrastructure, open standards, and open-source strategies is not only about innovation—it is about reducing external dependencies, increasing trust in V2G services, and strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy.
For technology providers, researchers, and innovators, Vehicle-to-Grid represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to contribute to a resilient, flexible, and standardised European energy system.
