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Where sustainability, innovation and commitment come together in Utrecht

DEKRA test partner in Europe's first large-scale Vehicle-to-Grid car-sharing service

Dec 09, 2025 Automotive / Future Vehicle & Mobility Services

In addition to DEKRA celebrating its 100th anniversary, 2025 was also the year in which Utrecht Energized was launched: Europe's first large-scale Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) car-sharing service. Thanks to the bidirectional charging system, electric vehicles can store energy and feed it back into the local power grid during peak periods. DEKRA was involved as a test partner for We Drive Solar's V2G charging stations.

Thanks to the partnership between We Drive Solar , Renault Group, MyWheels and the municipality of Utrecht, Europe's first large-scale Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) car-sharing service was launched last summer. The project contributes to a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient energy system in a city that was already a leader in the field of sustainable energy.

First phase started

Utrecht Energized was a long-term project. "We spent years making intensive preparations for the rollout of the first phase of the project. We are very proud and happy that Utrecht Energized is now a reality and that the first cars and charging stations have been put into use," says Robin Berg, CEO of We Drive Solar.
We Drive Solar supplied the specially developed Solar City charging stations : V2G charging stations that can discharge stored energy to homes and the power grid (bidirectional charging). Robin: "With this approach, we get the most out of locally generated energy — by charging or using it directly when the energy price is low and sustainable, and discharging from our own buffer when the energy price is high."

DEKRA as testing partner for V2G charging stations

DEKRA was brought in as a testing partner for the charging stations. Robin: "We find DEKRA to be a very pleasant partner for validating our products. Bidirectional charging involves a relatively high level of sophisticated technology, safety, and cybersecurity. That is why our products must meet many high standards. To ensure this, we were happy to enter into a partnership with DEKRA."
Managing Director of DEKRA Certification, Bram Holtus, appreciates the trust placed in DEKRA by We Drive Solar. He is proud that DEKRA has been able to contribute to Europe's first large-scale Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) car-sharing service: "At DEKRA, safety, reliability, and innovation are key. With this project, we are helping to ensure that sustainable energy systems can be better utilized. In addition, we are ensuring that the integration of mobility, energy storage, and the electricity grid is carried out in a safe and future-oriented manner."

Network congestion successfully reduced

Renault's first 50 E-Tech electric cars were connected to the V2G charging stations, which are spread throughout Utrecht, in June this year. In the coming period, another 450 Renault electric cars will be added to the fleet managed by MyWheels. The deployment of 500 bidirectional cars can provide approximately 10 percent of the required flexibility in the Utrecht region, supporting the balance between solar and wind power generation and consumption during peak hours.
Since the project started earlier this year, the 50 shared cars have been able to discharge a total of over 70 megawatt hours. Robin: "That amounts to about 125 hours per car. We have now reduced grid congestion peaks in Utrecht by 300 kilowatts in the evenings. So we are already successful in reducing grid congestion in the evenings."
The municipality of Utrecht is also very pleased with the launch and initial results of Utrecht Energized. Alderman Eva Oosters (Environment and Zero-Emission Transport): "We are extremely proud that Utrecht is the stage for Europe's first large-scale Vehicle-to-Grid car-sharing service. Innovative and sustainable solutions like this are crucial for a city like Utrecht, where the electricity grid is under heavy strain. By making smart use of the storage capacity of shared cars, we can support the grid and thereby strengthen our ambition to lead the way in the energy transition and remain a liveable city for everyone."

Further rollout to other cities

Good news: the large-scale vehicle-to-grid car-sharing service is expanding to several cities in the Netherlands. "We will start in Eindhoven at the end of this year and in Rotterdam and Amsterdam next year," Robin concludes.
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