Utrecht becomes Europe’s first city with a Vehicle‑to‑Grid (V2G) car‑sharing service

• “Utrecht energized”: a unique collaboration between Renault Group, We Drive Solar, MyWheels and the Municipality of Utrecht

• World première in bidirectional AC charging for sustainable energy storage in shared cars

• First fully operational V2G ecosystem in a European city, designed to stabilise the grid while giving Utrecht residents an affordable, sustainable mobility solution

• Renault Group supplies 500 electric models featuring Mobilize V2G technology. 

• 50 Renault 5 E‑Tech electric cars are now live; the fleet will soon include the Renault 4 E‑Tech electric, Renault Megane E‑Tech electric and Renault Scenic E‑Tech electric.

• Renault Group calls for a supportive regulatory framework to unleash the full potential of electric cars.

Schiphol‑Rijk, 5 June 2025 – Renault Group, MyWheels and We Drive Solar, together with the Municipality of Utrecht, announce the go-live of Europe’s first large‑scale Vehicle‑to‑Grid (V2G) car‑sharing service: Utrecht energized. The initiative supports a more sustainable, efficient energy system in a city where 35 % of rooftops are already fitted with solar panels. Thanks to the V2G technology, electric vehicles can store energy and feed it back to the local grid during peak periods, so renewable power remains available around the clock. By combining a shared‑mobility service with advanced technology, the project keeps the local grid in balance while accelerating the transition to sustainable urban transport.

The launch of this large‑scale car‑sharing service, using the V2G technology - was announced in November 2024 and is now live. Representing a step towards cleaner mobility, this initiative promotes availability of electric shared cars while helping to balance the city’s electricity network through the  bidirectional charging technology. The Netherlands is a global leader in solar and wind-based energy deployment, and Utrecht ranks among Europe’s most progressive renewable‑energy cities, with 35 % of roofs equipped with solar panels.  The use of renewables presents challenges for the grid due to their massive deployment, causing high peaks in energy supply. To manage the grid with a high proportion of renewables requires a system that quickly adapts to the changes in energy generation and consumption. This is where the V2G technology steps in to address these challenges.

The roll‑out is now live with 50 Renault 5 E‑Tech electric cars. Available via car‑sharing service MyWheels, the vehicles use V2G bidirectional charging technology developed by Mobilize, Renault Group’s brand dedicated to new mobilities. It is the first time this innovative technology has been made available for public infrastructure, provided by We Drive Solar. The 500 bidirectional cars can deliver 10 % of the flexibility required in the Utrecht region to balance solar‑ and wind‑generated electricity at peak times.

The fleet will later expand with other E‑Tech electric models, further demonstrating Renault Group’s commitment to sustainable mobility and innovation. Their compact design and advanced technology make them ideal for city car‑sharing services moving towards cleaner travel. Mobilize’s V2G solution represents a major advance, enabling the public infrastructure and We Drive Solar’s services to contribute on a large scale to a more resilient, sustainable energy system.

Renault’s shared cars, equipped with Mobilize’s V2G technology, let users charge with clean electricity and feed power back to the grid when demand is high. We Drive Solar, an international leader in smart charging, provides advanced charging solutions: bidirectional public AC chargers and aggregation technology that support Mobilize’s V2G toolkit. The 500 E‑Tech electric models are operated by MyWheels, the Netherlands’ biggest car‑sharing company. By combining mobility and energy solutions, MyWheels sets a new benchmark for car‑sharing and tackles key urban challenges.

This collaboration shows how public–private initiatives can deliver sustainable, efficient mobility solutions.