Technocrats Talking

V2G Summit includes call to action for electrification, digital integration

The V2G Leaders Europe Summit gathered over two hundred expert representatives from policy, research, industry, grid operations, standardization, and innovation ecosystems on November 20 in Brussels for its first summit on the future of smart and bidirectional charging.

The overarching message throughout plenaries, sessions and technical workshops was clear: Europe has the technological maturity, regulatory momentum and industrial capacity to lead on bidirectional charging. Discussion revealed that the time is ripe for creating a positive spine for the European Automotive Industry in times of increasing geopolitical conflicts.

In what it labeled "a decisive signal from the European Commission" in a December 11 press release reviewing the summit, V2G featured "opening interventions from DG ENER, DG RTD and DG CNECT underscoring that the body "sits at the intersection of Europe’s climate, competitiveness and digital agendas."

Mechthild Wörsdörfer (DG ENER) emphasized that electrification and renewables targets

require EVs to function as flexible assets, not merely loads. She highlighted that V2G can

support grid stability, reduce system costs and strengthen the Green Deal – but only with

trustworthy data exchange, multiparty interoperability and coordinated implementation.

Joanna Drake (DG RTD) pointed to Europe’s strong research base, urging the transition

from pilots to commercially viable products and regulatory sandboxes as announced by the

Automotive Action Plan. A Memorandum of Understanding recently signed by three Horizon

Europe partnerships (2Zero, CCAM and BATT4EU) brings more cooperation, a shared vision

and a clear path forward, accelerating strategic innovation in the automotive domain.

Thibaut Kleiner (DG CNECT) pointed out that a V2G strategy is seamlessly embedded into

Europe’s Automotive Action Plan, fully aligned with actions linked to Europe’s digital and

competitiveness strategy; notably highlighting that software-defined vehicles, open data

spaces and sovereign digital platforms are essential for a competitive EV ecosystem capable

of global leadership.

"Europe’s pole position will only be maintained if all actors – OEMs, infrastructure providers,

DSOs, aggregators, software innovators, regulators and policymakers – accelerate the

transition from alignment on interfaces and standards towards implementation," the V2G press release contended.

These leaders' joint message "echoed throughout the room" as well, V2G added. "The foundations are now in place, the community is mobilized, and Europe has a unique chance to scale a multiparty-interoperable, secure and user-centered bidirectional charging ecosystem – provided it acts with urgency and unity."

The next edition of the summit will be held in November 2026 in Brussels.