As you may have spotted, we launched our shiny new V3 Charger last week, complete with a plug-in hardware module ready to support future V2G services. It’s S&P and my way of saying, “We’re ready when the grid and the consumer is.” I’m a big believer in sustainable tech, but I’m also borderline obsessive about making sure it doesn’t confuse, frustrate, or terrify the average customer.
Meanwhile, my LinkedIn feed has filled up with news about V2G, trial updates from across Europe and bold and very welcome announcements from the likes of Octopus and Zaptec. While scrolling through the hype (and writing some marketing copy for the Simpson & Partners site), I found myself asking the big question: Is V2G ready for the mainstream?
After nearly a decade in the EV charging world, I’ve seen more “next big things” than I’ve had hot dinners. Industry experts love to get starry eyed over shiny new tech, but too often, they forget to ask the most important question. What’s it actually like for the person using it?
There’s a brilliant line in Peter Thiel’s book Zero to One, where he explains why so many green tech ventures have flopped. His research found that only about 2% of consumers are willing to put up with a worse experience just to be more eco-friendly. And let’s be honest, that number probably hasn’t gone up since the book’s publication back in 2014.
If we want technologies like Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) to go mainstream, they can’t just be clever, they must be compelling. That means real, tangible benefits for the user, wrapped in seamless simplicity, because no matter how noble the mission, if the experience feels like a chore, mostpeople will quietly unplug.
My first issue is naming. Let’s start with the alphabet soup: V2G, V2L, V2X… and I’ve no doubt someone’s already cooking up V2Z. After 25 years in the IT industry, I can say with confidence, the average non-technical consumer would rather wrestle a spreadsheet than decode another acronym.
I get the differences between these technologies, but do you think my 80-year-old mum will? Not unless V2G comes with a kettle and a biscuit!
Even first time EV buyers and car sales people, smart, capable people often struggle with the basics of EV charging. And that’s not a dig at their intelligence. It’s just that we’ve thrown them into a world of kilowatts, connectors, and cryptic jargon without a map or key.
If we want people to plug in, we need to stop talking like engineers and start talking like humans.
Here’s another curve ball. Ask any early EV driver, or anyone eyeing the switch, and their top concern is almost always the same, range anxiety! It’s the EV equivalent of checking your phone battery at 3% with no charger in sight. That little bar on the dash?
It’s not just data it’s emotional security!
Now imagine telling them, “Great news! We’re going to take some of that precious charge out of your car to help the grid.” That’s when the eyebrows go up and the trust goes down. To most drivers, a full battery at home isn’t just convenience, it’s a psychological safety blanket. It’s the backup plan for when life throws a last-minute curveball, like a sick gran, a forgotten school run, or an emergency snack dash. And then comes the real kicker: “Oh, and by the way, your car’s energy might be used to help balance the grid… in a town you’ve never heard of.” That’s a tough sell.
If we want people to embrace V2G, we need to stop framing it as a noble sacrifice and start showing how it’s a win-win. Think: smarter energy use, potential savings, the smug satisfaction of helping the planet/ grid/ neighbours without ever missing your emergency trip to Tesco.
I’ve got a lot to share on this subject, I don’t want to bore you too much in one sitting. So I’ve split it into a part one and a two and I think even a part three.
In the next instalment predicatively named Part 2, I’ll dive into the differences between DC and AC V2G technology, and the thorny issue of interoperability, because nothing says “user-friendly” like a poorly defined common standards. (My wife who has just proof read this doesn’t understand the term interoperability). Maybe I’ll use the term ‘two systems talking to each other’-)
Part 3 will be my take on how we can fast-track V2G into the mainstream, without losing sight of what matters to real people (hint: it’s not just kilo watts and acronyms).
Of course, these are just my thoughts from my tiny brain. As always, I’d love to hear yours. Whether you agree, disagree, or have a completely different take, let’s keep the conversation going.
