With the latest reform of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG), Germany is creating the necessary foundations for an economically viable vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system. By abolishing the previous double taxation of temporarily stored electricity, feeding electricity into the grid from electric vehicles is becoming financially attractive for the first time. This brings the energy system closer to a point where electric cars are not only a means of transportation but also a storage medium.
At the same time, the German government has published its ‘Master Plan for Charging Infrastructure 2030’. This strategy is intended to structure, accelerate and harmonise the nationwide expansion of the charging infrastructure. The plan defines the expansion path until 2030 in Europe’s largest car market and establishes bidirectional charging as a future component of a user-friendly, reliable and grid-friendly charging system.
The goal of the legislative reform is to facilitate the market participation of vehicle batteries. The reduction in grid fees will become effective on 1 January 2026. This means that energy charged from the grid into the car and fed back into the grid at a later time will be treated like electricity from stationary storage systems. From April 1, 2026, new MiSpeL process rules (MiSpeL is short for market integration of storage and charging points) will also come into effect, significantly simplifying the technical and regulatory implementation of V2G: After the reform, a second meter will no longer be necessary.
Technology and infrastructure on the rise
The technical basis for V2G is in place, and in addition to the EnWG reform, the Federal Network Agency is specifying the operational implementation with the new MiSpeL rules. These specifications are intended to define how bidirectional charging points will be balanced, measured and billed in the future and ensure that they can be treated technically as stationary storage devices. In this way, the agency aims to create the necessary market and process standards to reliably integrate V2G into existing energy and charging systems and significantly facilitate its practical use.
Bidirectional charging has the potential to change both the energy system and the everyday lives of users. In the future, electric cars could be charged when a lot of renewable energy is available and then release it again during periods of high demand. This relieves the burden on the grids, reduces peak loads and enables new revenue models for vehicle owners.
In addition, the reform creates incentives. Regulatory equality with storage facilities turns BEVs into decentralised power plants: the grid fee exemption and MiSpeL simplifications lower the barriers to market entry and finally make bidirectional charging in Germany an economically viable technology.
It is worth taking a look at the tariffs already available: in Germany, E.ON and BMW will be offering the first commercial V2G service from 2026: according to the manufacturer, anyone who regularly connects their vehicle to the V2G-enabled wallbox will receive a bonus of 24 cents per hour of standing time, up to a maximum of €60 per month. According to the provider, this could cover around 12,000 to 14,000 km of driving free of charge. Tariffs are already in place in other European countries. In France, The Mobility House is offering its own tariff. According to the company, the tariff and intelligent charging can achieve annual savings of up to €400. In the United Kingdom, Octopus Energy promises average savings of around £620 per year with its Octopus Power Pack tariff compared to a standard household tariff.
Key advantages at a glance:
With this reform, Germany is sending a clear signal for the acceleration of vehicle-to-grid. The next step is to further specify the regulatory details, simplify approval processes and deepen cooperation between the automotive industry, grid operators and energy suppliers. Another important factor is the faster expansion of modern smart meters so that V2G can reach its full potential.
If this framework is further expanded, a V2G ecosystem can develop that closely links electric mobility and the energy system – and turns the electric car into an active component of a flexible, climate-friendly electricity system.
