UK electric vehicle (EV) smart charging provider EV.Energy has published a whitepaper delving into the future of EV charging and its significance in creating a sustainable energy grid and promoting cleaner air.

Called “Unlocking Industry Barriers to Providing Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Flexibility”, it draws upon over 40 hours of industry expert interviews from the UK, EU and USA, as well as consumer surveys, industry reports and data analysis. The paper presents a roadmap towards the implementation of smart bi-directional charging, enabling EVs to support the energy grid.

The whitepaper functions to analyse the obstacles hindering V2X energy flexibility. By aligning industry perspectives, it offers a unified approach to address these challenges and unlock the full potential of V2X technology.

The whitepaper forms part of the firm’s V2X-Flex project in partnership with Energy Systems Catapult. The V2X-Flex project is funded by the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ), delivered by Innovate-UK. V2X is part of the up to £65m Flexibility Innovation Programme, funded from the £1bn DESNZ Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.

“The V2X-Flex project builds on EV.Energy’s world leading smart charging platform, incorporating bi-directional charging technologies to unlock an exciting new range of EV charging products and services,” said Nick Woolley, CEO of EV.Energy. “As a global EV charging platform, EV.Energy works with charger manufacturers, vehicle OEMs and energy utilities to connect electric vehicles with the smart grid. Collaboration and alignment are key to delivering successful innovation and we are thrilled to be delivering this project with such a great range of partners.”

Dancia Caiger-Smith, consumer research lead at Energy Systems Catapult, added: “Smart charging is already helping us better align EV charging with intermittent renewable energy generation. Adding two-way charging – charge and discharge – establishes greater energy flexibility. Most importantly, two-way charging could help consumers use energy in ways that give them what they need, when they need it, in their homes, cars and on the grid. This adds value to the EV proposition. The more we can establish services that provide value to consumers the greater their uptake and the greater the opportunity for EV energy flexibility becomes.”

The whitepaper underscores the importance of consumer acceptance in realising the potential of V2X technology. It identifies key challenges in the consumer’s V2X journey:

• Facilitating attractive compensation models for consumers participating in V2X programmes.
• Ensuring the availability of affordable and compatible charging equipment for V2X capabilities.
• Promoting safe battery and vehicle operations during bi-directional energy flows.
• Enhancing the user experience by providing seamless integration and intuitive controls for V2X functionalities.
• Establishing trust and understanding among consumers regarding the benefits and technical aspects of V2X technology.

To overcome these barriers, EV.Energy calls for collaboration among automakers, charger manufacturers, energy management platforms, utilities, regulators and government entities.

EV.Energy’s software intelligently manages EV charging on behalf of utilities for over 70,000 drivers worldwide. Operating in the USA, UK, Europe and Australia, the company offers a software platform that directly manages charging with a growing list of home chargers and vehicles.