Volkswagen and its energy and mobility brand Elli plan to launch a fully integrated Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) offering for private customers in Germany beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026. The solution will allow owners of compatible Volkswagen electric vehicles to not only charge at home but also to feed stored energy back into the grid, potentially generating additional revenue. Pre-registration opens in June 2026, and the company expects to roll out the offer in other European countries thereafter.
The V2G package brings together multiple components: an electric vehicle equipped for bidirectional charging, a dynamic electricity tariff, a smart meter, a DC bidirectional charger, installation services, and a companion mobile app. Smart meter installations are already available, with typical delivery and configuration completed within eight to ten weeks. Elli will coordinate the entire energy management system, including access to energy trading markets, aggregation of vehicle battery capacity, and real-time monitoring through its digital platform.
Martin Sander, Volkswagen’s Board Member for Sales, Marketing, and After-Sales, says this integrated approach aims to cut home charging costs significantly, ultimately approaching nearly cost-free charging. All ID. family models have been capable of bidirectional charging since 2023. Giovanni Palazzo, CEO of Elli, notes that by connecting vehicles, charging infrastructure, and the energy market, the group can scale a managed battery network across millions of cars and brands.
According to market estimates, customers who make their vehicle battery capacity available for energy trading could achieve savings or revenue of €700 to €900 per year in optimal scenarios. Compensation in the initial phase will be based on the flexibility customers offer in charging behavior and will be paid independently of trading performance. Over time, Volkswagen aims to drive total mobility costs down and transform electric cars into active grid storage units.
Built on the Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB) platform, roughly one million vehicles in Europe are already technically prepared for V2G. The forthcoming ID. Software 6 update will expand bidirectional charging compatibility to more battery sizes and future volume models. Volkswagen emphasizes that robust high-voltage batteries and protection systems will safeguard battery longevity.
Source: Volkswagen Group Press Release
