Utrecht to launch first large-scale V2G car-sharing service in Europe
Europe’s first V2G car-sharing service – Partnership between Renault Group, We Drive Solar, MyWheels and Utrecht. Image courtesy Renault Group.
Renault Group, We Drive Solar, MyWheels and the City of Utrecht have joined forces to launch the first large-scale car-sharing service in Europe that utilises Vehicle to Grid (V2G) technology.
The initiative aims to facilitate the large-scale availability of electric shared mobility while offering an innovative way to balance the city’s electric grid through bi-directional charging technology.
Under the partnership, Renault Group will supply 500 Renault 5 E-Tech battery electric cars equipped with Mobilize’s V2G technology.
Dutch mobility operator We Drive Solar will provide and operate bidirectional charging stations and Dutch car-sharing service MyWheels will operate the fleet.
Commenting in a Linkedin post was Anouk Poelmann, Renault Group’s CEO, Netherlands: “Thrilled to contribute to an unprecedented collaboration with We Drive Solar and MyWheels, transforming Utrecht into a beacon of sustainable transportation.
“Proud of the Dutch team for supporting Renault Group and executing this groundbreaking project in The Netherlands. This is a significant milestone in Renault Group’s journey towards a greener future.”
According to the partners in a release, this will mark the first time this technology is used to benefit public infrastructure.
500 bidirectional cars, says Renault, could provide 10% of the needed flexibility in the Utrecht region to balance solar and wind energy for usage during peak-hours.
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The fleet could eventually feature the Renault 4 E-Tech electric, Megane E-Tech electric and Scenic E-Tech electric cars, whose compact design and advanced technology, says the automaker, make them ideal for urban car-sharing programmes in cities transitioning to more sustainable mobility solutions.
Renault’s vehicles equipped with Mobilize’s V2G technology would enable users to charge their vehicles with clean energy and feed power back into the grid during high demand. This would reduce overall electricity costs but also helps stabilise the grid and further integrate renewable energy sources.
Starting in Utrecht, all new bidirectional public AC chargers will be rolled out to support the V2G access toolkit provided by Mobilize. Renault’s vehicles will be operated by MyWheels, the largest car-sharing company in the Netherlands.
