V2G — selling power back to the grid

Where V2L makes the car a socket, this makes it a participant in the grid. It requires more than a willing car: a bidirectional wallbox, an energy supplier offering a suitable contract, and a regulatory framework that permits the arrangement. All three exist in some European countries and in none of the others, which is why the same car is a candidate in one market and not in its neighbour.

Why it matters when buying

The claim on a specification sheet is usually about the hardware only. A car listed as capable may have no supplier in your market willing to buy from it, and the capability then earns nothing. This is a case where the honest answer is market-specific and time-limited, so it belongs in market data with a date attached rather than in a European feature list.

The second question is the warranty. Cycling the pack for the grid ages it, and manufacturers differ on whether those cycles count against battery cover. Where a manufacturer has not stated a position in writing, the absence is itself the answer worth acting on.

Related: V2L · degradation · battery warranty