Utrecht is Europe’s 1st city with V2G car‑sharing

UTRECHT, Netherlands: Utrecht energized is Europe’s first large‑scale Vehicle‑to‑Grid (V2G) car‑sharing service and was launched recently by Renault Group, MyWheels and We Drive Solar, together with the Municipality of Utrecht in Netherlands.

V2G allows electric vehicles (EVs) to not only draw energy from the grid but also to discharge electricity back during peak times, turning them into mobile energy resources.

In a statement, Renault said by combining a shared‑mobility service with advanced technology, the project keeps the local grid in balance while accelerating the transition to sustainable urban transport.

The Netherlands is a global leader in solar and wind-based energy deployment, and Utrecht ranks among Europe’s most progressive renewable‑energy cities, with 35 % of roofs equipped with solar panels.

The use of renewables presents challenges for the grid due to their massive deployment, causing high peaks in energy supply.

To manage the grid with a high proportion of renewables requires a system that quickly adapts to the changes in energy generation and consumption.

This is where the V2G technology steps in to address these challenges.

The roll‑out is now live with 50 Renault 5 E‑Tech electric cars.

Available via a car‑sharing service managed by MyWheels, the vehicles use V2G bidirectional charging technology developed by Mobilize, Renault Group’s brand dedicated to new mobilities.

It is the first time this innovative technology has been made available for public infrastructure, provided by We Drive Solar.

The 500 bidirectional cars can deliver 10 % of the flexibility required in the Utrecht region to balance solar‑ and wind‑generated electricity at peak times.