200 Bidirectional EV Chargers To Be Used In Trial

Key Takeaways

• 200 bidirectional chargers to be installed across Sweden
• Chargers enable vehicle‑to‑grid power flow, supporting grid demand
• EV owners could earn revenue by supplying electricity
• Project partners: Vattenfall, Energy Bank, Volkswagen

Pulse Analysis

Bidirectional, or vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G), technology is moving from concept to field trials, and the Sweden pilot marks a significant milestone. Vattenfall’s partnership with Energy Bank and Volkswagen brings together a utility, a financial institution, and an automaker to test 200 smart chargers that can both draw power from the grid and feed it back. By situating units at residential sites and dealerships, the trial captures real‑world usage patterns, offering data on how often EVs are plugged in, the depth of discharge they can safely provide, and the aggregate impact on grid balancing services.

From an economic perspective, the ability to export stored electricity opens a new revenue stream for EV owners. Energy Bank is exploring tariff structures that compensate drivers for grid support, potentially offsetting vehicle purchase costs and encouraging broader EV adoption. For the grid, distributed battery resources act as a virtual power plant, delivering fast response to frequency deviations and peak‑shaving without the need for new fossil‑fuel peaker plants. This flexibility is especially valuable as Sweden pushes for higher shares of wind and solar, which are intermittent by nature.

The implications extend beyond Sweden’s borders. European regulators are drafting standards for V2G interoperability, and successful outcomes from this trial could inform policy incentives across the EU. Automakers like Volkswagen see V2G as a differentiator for future electric models, while utilities gain a scalable tool for integrating renewables. If the pilot proves technically reliable and financially attractive, it could accelerate the rollout of millions of bidirectional chargers, reshaping the energy‑mobility ecosystem and reinforcing the transition to a low‑carbon grid.