Fleets from across the UK are being invited to sign up to a new project that will test the viability of vehicle-to-grid technology as a means of powering electric vehicles in London.

The E-Flex project will demonstrate the potential of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology through a 200-strong fleet of electric vehicles

The E-Flex project is being run by a consortium of partners led by global IT and networking specialist Cisco and including Transport for London, the Greater London Authority, Cenex, Nuvve, Imperial College London and E-Car Club, and will test V2G with 200 operational electric vehicles in real-world fleets to explore the potential economic benefits.

It will also look at the role V2G can play in reducing the demand that mass adoption of EVs will put on energy networks, especially at peak times, under the UK government’s ambition, first announced in 2011, to end sales of ‘conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans’ by 2040. More recently, the Road to Zero Strategy has set out an ‘ambition’ that by 2030, at least 50% – and as many as 70% – of new car registrations will be ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs), alongside up to 40% of new vans.

Fleets taking part in the trial will have the opportunity to:

• Test and improve EVs in a real-world environment, receiving a free 10kW bidirectional charger(s) and installation, with annual maintenance and 24/7 support included.
• Lower costs of running a zero-emissions fleet through energy savings and unlock new services and opportunities for customers.
• Become a greener brand and have a positive impact on the environment, monitoring savings through a fleet monitoring dashboard and application.

Maria Hernandez, head of innovation, Cisco UK & Ireland, said: “The market opportunity for V2G is huge when you consider that the UK government has outlined that all new cars and vans should be effectively zero emission in little over 20 years’ time. E-Flex is about testing whether V2G provides a solution to the main challenge of making this a reality: developing an economically and environmentally viable business model for EVs.”

The deadline for applications for the trial is 31 May 2019. For more details and to register, click here.