7 new partners are joining the EVVE project, alongside EDF and Dreev, to speed up the roll-out of bidirectional charging for electric vehicles in Europe

Launched in 2021 under the leadership of the EDF Group, the EVVE (Environmental Valorization of Virtual Energy storage) project aims to deploy 800 vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging stations in Europe. The aim is to demonstrate that by storing low-carbon electricity, electric vehicles can help to reduce CO₂ emissions. The project will pave the way for the arrival on the market of new V2G functionalities based on the “Combo CCS[1]” European charging standard.

Supported by the European Union’s Innovation Fund[2] , the EVVE project and its intelligent charging stations use the bidirectional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology developed by Dreev[3]. This technology programs vehicle charging when the grid has abundant decarbonized electricity and the price per kWh is competitive. The energy stored in the batteries of electric vehicles can then help to balance electricity supply and demand on the grid, particularly at times of peak consumption.

The arrival of 7 new partners to speed up the EVVE project

Altra (IVECO group), BNP Paribas Mobility, represented by Arval and BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions[4], Enedis, IZIVIA, Nuvve, Stellantis and Volkswagen Group France have joined the consortium formed around EDF and Dreev to speed up the EVVE project. Each partner has committed to installing a volume of bidirectional charging points for different uses in several European countries, including France, to reach a total deployment of 800 charging points. This is an opportunity for everyone involved to test this new technology and gauge its benefits for customers (such as fleets) and for the electricity system.

To date, 250 V2G chargers have already been deployed as part of this project, mainly in France and Denmark.

Olivier Dubois, Senior Vice President, Electric Mobility, EDF Group: “Managing the charging of electric vehicles is a strategic challenge for the electricity system. It is essential to enable electricity transmission and distribution networks to manage the massive arrival of electric vehicles efficiently and economically. The development of V2G will also provide a large-scale, competitive flexibility solution, making it possible to better manage the intermittency of renewable energies and thus accelerate their development. We are delighted to have the support of the European Union for a project of this kind, which is essential if we are to achieve our energy transition objectives.

Eric Mevellec, Managing Director of Dreev: “The EVVE project provides a unique framework for testing the charging solutions of the future, such as V2G. It is a good illustration of how the European industry is organizing itself around new charging standards. In practice, 800 bidirectional charging points will be deployed to form a virtual power plant with a capacity of over 8 MW, which will make it possible to avoid nearly 25,000 tons of CO₂.”

Alain Van Groenendael, Chairman and CEO of Arval: “As a major player in operational leasing and a specialist in mobility solutions, supporting our customers in their energy transition is at the heart of our strategy. We are very proud to join the EVVE project, which is fully in line with our Arval Energy initiative. Arval is helping to accelerate and promote innovation in the technologies of tomorrow, such as V2G, which will complement our electric vehicle offering.”

Neil Pein, CEO of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions: “We are delighted to actively contribute to the deployment of this new technology by offering innovative financing solutions to our customers. Our association with Arval also reinforces the BNP Paribas Group’s commitment, through the BNP Paribas Mobility brand, to offer an integrated and co-ordinated approach to helping its customers develop in the sustainable mobility market.”

Mathilde Lheureux, Stellantis Global Head of Charging Business Unit: “Stellantis is firmly committed to achieving zero carbon by 2038, with an accelerated plan to achieve a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030. We are seizing the opportunity to participate in smart energy programmes such as the EVVE project for two-way charging as a fundamental step towards achieving our Dare forward plan. Developing a holistic ecosystem with our partners and providing a turnkey energy management experience for our customers is key to achieving 100% of BEV sales in Europe and 50% in the US by 2030.”

Luc Chausson, Director of Strategic Projects, Volkswagen Group France: “Road transport using combustion engines emits CO2. But thanks to the electric vehicle, the car is becoming a major player in reducing these emissions. What’s more, with V1G and V2G, it is bringing new technological solutions to help the electricity network meet customers’ needs. The Volkswagen Group is very committed to decarbonization, with the Regenerate+ plan, which aims to eliminate our carbon footprint completely by 2050. In France, thanks to the Electrify France program, we are developing a fast-charging network and a network of battery repair centers throughout the country. By taking part in the EVVE project, Volkswagen Group France wants to be a proactive player in bidirectional charging so that we can offer our fleet and private customers these innovative solutions.”

Pierre de Firmas, Director of Electric Mobility at Enedis: “Enedis is now involved in the EVVE project alongside several partners, including Dreev, in order to test and develop V2G technology at around thirty of our sites. This project is taking place against a backdrop of accelerating growth in electric mobility, which will make it even more important to manage recharging and V2G in order to balance the electricity system in the years ahead. Enedis is at the heart of the challenge of the electrification of transport, as the charging infrastructures for electric vehicles are all connected directly or indirectly to the distribution network. We are also very committed to the electrification of our company fleet, with 6,300 electric vehicles by mid-2024, i.e. more than one in three vehicles in France’s second-largest electric fleet”.

Marco Liccardo, Chief Technology & Digital Officer, Iveco Group: “The development of electric mobility in Europe is an ambitious objective that requires the active involvement of all stakeholders. This is why we are proud to take a concrete step towards the electrification of the transport sector by joining the EVVE project. We will be working side by side with our partners to build an ecosystem in which vehicles and charging infrastructure are interconnected. By supporting the maturity of this technology, we aim to have a positive impact across the value chain and deliver real benefits to our customers.”

Christelle Vives, Managing Director of IZIVIA, the EDF Group’s electric mobility subsidiary: “On the strength of our experience in installing and operating V2G-compatible charging points in France, IZIVIA is very committed to this project, which is at the heart of our ambition to provide innovative recharging solutions for all customers. With over 26,000 chargepoints operated and supervised in France, and more than 25 years of experience, we have put in place a continuous improvement loop in our processes to guarantee an optimal recharging experience for all our customers.”

Gregory Poilasne, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Nuvve: “As the world leader in V2G technology and a long-standing partner of EDF, we are focused on accelerating the transition to a sustainable energy and transport future. V2G is essential to this transition as it allows the electricity contained in electric vehicle batteries to be pooled to support the grid as a virtual power plant. Bidirectional grid services are the key to achieving energy independence and the integration of electric vehicles while reducing carbon emissions in the EU and globally.”

[1] Combo CCS is a standard European plug for recharging electric vehicles.

[2] Financed by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure and the Environment (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

[3] A joint venture between EDF and Nuvve

[4] More specifically, Arval, through BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, will supply electric vehicles compatible with V2G technology and finance charging points for companies outside the consortium wishing to participate.