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The International Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Conference 2026, held in Münster, Germany on 15–16 April 2026, marked a clear turning point for intelligent transport systems and their role in Europe’s energy transition. No longer framed as a promising experiment, bidirectional charging is now being positioned as a standard, industrialised mobility function, one capable of reshaping how transport and energy systems interact at scale.
This shift in tone was underpinned by a major regulatory development in Germany. From April 2026, amendments to the Energy Industry Act formally recognise electric vehicles as mobile energy storage assets rather than passive grid consumers. By removing the long-criticised double grid-fee penalty, the new framework fundamentally improves the business case for private users and fleet operators alike.
Just as significant for deployment was the introduction of the MiSpeL framework, which simplifies technical integration by eliminating the need for costly secondary smart meters. Together, these measures signal the arrival of a genuine plug-and-play era for V2G, which will lower barriers, reduce complexity, and accelerate real-world adoption.
The implications of this new landscape were evident in the conference’s Vehicles session, hosted by Dr Christopher Hecht and Dr Jan Figgener of RWTH Aachen University. Here, manufacturers outlined how bidirectional charging is transitioning from a future-ready feature into a core element of vehicle design and strategy.
Renault shared insights from its European V2G programme, which is now entering widespread production across the region. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz and BMW confirmed that an increasing share of their 2026 model portfolios will include bidirectional capability as standard, reinforcing the view that private vehicles are set to become active participants in electricity markets rather than occasional grid services.
For ITS stakeholders, however, hardware capability is only part of the equation. Sessions led by Manfred Przybilla and Marco Piffaretti highlighted the growing importance of interoperability at scale, ensuring vehicles can discharge seamlessly across different charge point operators, grid zones and technical standards. As V2G expands beyond pilots, this multiparty compatibility challenge is fast becoming a defining systems issue.
A recurring theme throughout the event was the role of V2G-enabled vehicles within Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). By aggregating thousands of parked EVs through intelligent software, cities and utilities can balance supply and demand without costly new physical infrastructure. For ITS professionals, this places digital platforms, data orchestration and real-time coordination firmly at the centre of future energy resilience.
On-street infrastructure emerged as a particularly valuable asset in this context. Marc Mültin of Switch EV demonstrated how kerbside AC chargers can be repurposed into flexible grid resources, pointing to the UK’s on-street charging network as a practical blueprint for European urban environments. This convergence of local authority assets, grid services and user-centric design exemplifies the evolving scope of ITS.
Dynamic and intelligent tariffs were also identified as a crucial enabler. By aligning pricing with real-time wholesale market signals, these ITS-driven models encourage drivers to charge when renewable generation is abundant and discharge during peak demand, turning everyday mobility decisions into grid-positive actions.
The conference extended its focus well beyond passenger vehicles. The V2G potential of heavy-duty trucks and buses was explored in detail, with Dr Andreas Kammel of TRATON SE emphasising that smarter charging strategies are a prerequisite for electrified freight. Logistics depots, he argued, can function as high-capacity energy buffers, supporting both operational efficiency and community-level grid stability.
Hosted at the Haus der Technik, the event concluded with a strong sense of consensus: the technology is ready. The next phase is about scale, reliability and confidence. As highlighted by Daniel Makus, reducing field failures, optimising total cost of ownership and ensuring dependable performance will define the coming two years.
For V2G to succeed, it must become invisible, an integrated, trusted layer of the everyday mobility experience rather than a specialised add-on.
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