New Energy Vehicles Become Urban "Power Banks": Vehicle-to-Grid Moves from Concept Validation to Scale Monetization

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers will hold the launch meeting of the "Vehicle-Grid Interaction Professional Committee" on March 26, and concurrently host the third seminar on "Group Standard Formulation in the Vehicle-Grid Interaction Field." ② While standards are being accelerated, multiple local governments, including those of Guangdong and Chongqing, have recently issued relevant policies, providing a policy guarantee for the long-term advancement of "vehicle-grid interaction."

Against the backdrop of the global acceleration of the energy transition, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, as a key enabler linking the transportation and energy systems, has become a crucial driver for China in advancing the development of a new power system and achieving its "dual carbon" goals.

It was learned that the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers will hold the launch meeting of the "Vehicle-Grid Interaction Professional Committee" on March 26, and hold the third seminar on the compilation of "Group Standards for the Vehicle-Grid Interaction Field" at the same time.

Currently, the new energy vehicle charging and battery swapping industry is at a critical stage of transitioning from scale expansion to quality and efficiency. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction, as an essential carrier for the deep integration of new energy and the new power system, plays an irreplaceable supporting role in promoting the upgrading of charging and battery swapping facilities, standardization, model innovation, and efficient energy utilization, according to the China Association of Automobile Industries.

While standards are being accelerated, multiple local governments, including Guangdong and Chongqing, have recently rolled out relevant policies, providing policy support for the long-term advancement of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration.

On March 23, the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission issued a notice on the "Guangdong Province Work Plan for Accelerating Scenario Innovation," proposing support for pilot zones to conduct policy pilots and innovative mechanism exploration, focusing on areas such as low-altitude airspace management, marine resource development, participation of new energy storage in electricity markets, and data element resource circulation, according to their scenario-specific needs. Among these, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction scenarios include: leveraging EV charging and battery-swap infrastructure, intelligent energy management platforms, and AI-based dispatching algorithms to promote bidirectional interaction between vehicles and the power grid, smart charging and discharging, and energy optimization. The plan emphasizes developing scenarios such as coordinated vehicle-grid dispatching, charging load management, energy feedback, and virtual power plant operations, aiming to achieve low-carbon transportation energy, optimized electricity consumption, and enhanced grid regulation capabilities.

On the same day, according to Kunshan Release, Suzhou's first BYD megawatt-level ultra-fast charging station was recently officially put into operation at the Yunxiangcheng Mall in Kunshan. The station's integrated energy storage and charging capabilities provide the necessary hardware foundation for future vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction. It is reported that State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company is currently engaging in technical discussions and pilot studies with relevant parties, aiming to enable the ultra-fast charging station to achieve bidirectional interaction with the power grid—discharging stored energy during peak grid demand periods to alleviate grid stress and allowing it to participate in electricity market trading for revenue generation.

Earlier on March 19, the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology held a work promotion meeting for the high-quality development of charging infrastructure in 2026, requiring the careful implementation of large-scale application promotion actions for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction. In early March, the first batch of V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) grid interaction projects in Hunan Province were completed with continuous trial operations and were implemented in Wangcheng District, Changsha City. According to Hunan Province, the V2G technology is also being piloted in other areas such as Hengyang, Yongzhou, Yueyang, and Xiangtan.

As a key link connecting transportation and energy, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology enables electric vehicles not only to charge but also to discharge electricity back to the grid, achieving peak load shifting and promoting the consumption of renewable energy. In the view of Academician Ouyang Minggao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, V2G will become a crucial path for the existing urban distribution networks to solve charging capacity issues as the proportion of wind and photovoltaic power continues to increase.

The value of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology has long been recognized by automakers. On March 18, at the 2026 Chery Automobile Battery Night, Chery unveiled its “Xunlong Ultra-Fast Charging” technology, ushering in a “second-era” of charging, while its V2X technology transforms every Chery NEV into a mobile, green “power bank.” According to its roadmap, Chery will build over 20,000 V2G-compliant charging stations by 2029. Initially, it will launch the “Ten Cities, One Hundred Stations” Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Interactive Program, constructing 100 V2G-enabled Xunlong Ultra-Fast Charging stations across 10 key cities—including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hefei.

"Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction is not only a technological breakthrough but also a reconstruction of production relations, promoting the transformation and upgrading of China's New Energy Vehicle (NEV) industry from 'capacity output' to 'system solution provider'," said Liu Zhihui, General Manager of GAC Energy Technology, a subsidiary of GAC Group. Data shows that by the end of last year, the cumulative discharge of the GAC V2G project exceeded 1 million kWh. Among this, 890,000 kWh was from public areas in the park, and 110,000 kWh was from private V2G discharges."

"Future pure electric vehicles will dominate the market, as V2G can make charging free or even a money-making tool." At the 2026 Annual CACRI Experts Media Exchange Meeting, Ouyang Minggao stated directly. From the perspective of usage costs, pure electric vehicles have the lowest energy costs, and through vehicle-grid interaction, zero cost or even negative cost operation can be achieved.

Previously, Ouyang Minggao stated that the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction sector is an underexploited value “lowland” brimming with enormous potential and opportunities. By jointly establishing an energy internet platform involving users, enterprises, and local governments, all three parties stand to benefit while simultaneously promoting the development of the new-energy vehicle (NEV) market. For users, participating in V2G interaction enables a more cost-effective energy experience and reduces vehicle operating costs; for enterprises, it opens up new revenue streams and enhances brand competitiveness; and for local governments, it offers a means to optimize regional energy structures, advance energy conservation and emissions reduction, support green development, and further boost the NEV market.