The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) with the power grid is more than just an engineering challenge—it’s an ecosystem transformation. I had the opportunity to discuss this on the V2X Podcast with Bob Safrata, where we covered the complexities, opportunities, and roadblocks of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology.
(LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/driving-future-v2x-technology-benoit-marcoux-ln1gc/)
The V2X Ecosystem: A Three-Player Game
At its core, V2X involves three key stakeholders:
- Automakers, who design the vehicles but don’t want to be responsible for home energy systems.
- Utilities, who need visibility on EVs but are accustomed to managing stationary energy assets.
- Homeowners, who own the EVs and interact with both sides but currently lack seamless tools to manage energy flows.
Bridging these gaps is more of a coordination challenge than a purely technological one.
The Real-World Use Cases
EV batteries are large energy storage units on wheels. The question is: How do we use them effectively in the grid? Three main applications emerge:
- Grid Services – Utilities could tap into EVs for services such as frequency regulation, but the business case remains weak due to complexity and low financial returns.
- Backup Power – Using an EV as a source of electricity during an outage can be life-saving, but automating it like a traditional generator is difficult, as the vehicle is not normally on standby.
- Peak Management – The most practical use case today. By shifting charging times and even discharging EVs during peak demand, homeowners can reduce energy costs and stabilize the grid.
The AC vs. DC Debate
One of the biggest technical questions is whether V2X should be AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current).
- AC (Current Standard) – Works well for simple applications like powering appliances during an outage but requires costly transformers for full-home integration, on top of adding cost and complexity to vehicles.
- DC (Emerging Trend) – More efficient, aligns better with solar and stationary batteries, and could eliminate the need for onboard inverters in EVs. In some countries, like China and South Korea, EV charging is already moving towards DC only.
As with many industries before, from telecom to computing, the evolution of EVs in the energy system will likely follow a path of hybridization before settling into a dominant model.
Utilities Must Adapt to a Decentralized Future
Historically, utilities have operated in a world where they controlled all energy generation. Now, with distributed energy resources (DERs) like EVs, solar, and batteries, they must adapt to a more dynamic, customer-driven model. The shift from treating users as passive “subscribers” to active “customers” is still underway.
Final Thoughts
V2X is not just a technology—it’s a shift in how we think about energy. The challenges are real, from business models to infrastructure, but the potential is enormous. As utilities, automakers, and consumers adjust, the future of energy will be shaped by how we integrate these powerful mobile storage assets into the grid.
A huge thank you to Rob Safrata for hosting me on the podcast and for a great discussion!
