Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Study Calculates Vehicle-to-Grid Could Cut U.S. Grid Costs By Up To $7 Billion

Pilots by utilities and automakers are testing whether aggregated EV batteries can supply peak power despite unresolved hardware, market and regulatory hurdles.

Overview

  • An E3 analysis for GM Energy estimates V2G-capable electric vehicles could deliver about $7 billion a year in U.S. grid value by 2030, mainly by providing peak capacity and deferring transmission and distribution investments.
  • Utilities and vendors have launched operational pilots to gather real-world data, including a Massachusetts coalition trial and GM tests with PG&E in California and DTE Energy in Michigan.
  • GM says it has sold roughly 250,000 EVs with V2G capability and plans to continue building V2G functionality into future models while offering bidirectional chargers through its energy unit.
  • Major barriers remain to scaling V2G: bidirectional chargers are costly, relatively few vehicles are compatible today, and current market rules do not reliably compensate owners or monetize T&D deferral.
  • Industry leaders are urging a coordinated public-private effort to modernize tariffs, standardize aggregation and streamline permitting so drivers and fleets can enroll, be paid, and realize the study’s per-vehicle value estimates.