Electric cars used as mobile home batteries in Dutch world-first energy trial

Kia and Hyundai, together with energy company Vattenfall, have launched a large-scale pilot project in the Netherlands in which electric vehicles are used as mobile home batteries, allowing users to supply electricity back to their homes and the grid. This makes the Netherlands a world first, as it is the first country to run this type of consumer trial on this scale.

A total of 80 consumers are participating in the pilot. The first phase begins in the second half of 2026 and involves 40 private owners of the electric Kia EV9.

As part of the pilot, selected participants will receive free home charging for their vehicles throughout the six-month testing period.

The pilot relies on V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) and V2H (Vehicle-to-Home) systems, allowing the car to store inexpensive solar power during the day and feed it back in the evening when household or grid demand peaks.

To enable the vehicle to feed electricity back to the home, the companies are using a specific pre-certified setup of equipment, including a bidirectional charging-capable car. The Kia EV9 is the first model to be officially approved and registered with Dutch grid operators for this purpose.

The system includes a home-installed bidirectional charging station and a smart Kia charging app. Through the app, drivers set the minimum battery level required for their next journey, and within those limits, Vattenfall can use the available stored energy.

The Dutch power grid is increasingly strained due to congestion. A large fleet of electric vehicles acting collectively as a distributed battery could help balance supply and demand by smoothing out peaks and dips in electricity use.

Another benefit is that the electric car’s battery is very large, typically four to ten times the capacity of a standard, high-cost home battery installed on a wall.

Until recently, bidirectional charging in the Netherlands was held back by regulations and double energy taxation, meaning users were effectively taxed both when charging and when supplying power back to the grid. This pilot aims to remove technical and legal barriers in preparation for a broader national rollout.

Alongside the new Kia and Hyundai pilot, the Netherlands already has other initiatives involving shared electric vehicles, including the We Drive Solar and MyWheels project in Utrecht, which uses bidirectional Renault cars.