The rapid growth of electric vehicles is placing increasing pressure on Europe’s electricity grids, particularly during evening peak periods. While many EVs remain plugged in overnight, public distribution networks are increasingly approaching their capacity limits. To help reduce these peak loads, Dutch distribution system operator Liander has launched a smart charging pilot in the province of Gelderland together with technology provider Deftpower, charge point operators Vattenfall and Allego, and e-mobility service providers (eMSPs) ANWB and Athlon.
The field trial will run until January 2027 and covers around 12,000 public charging points. It allows EV drivers to actively support grid stability by shifting their charging sessions to less congested periods. Instead of relying on regulatory restrictions or automatically reducing charging power, the project uses a financial incentive: participants receive a partial refund on their charging costs if they agree to delay charging until a grid-friendly time that still meets their planned departure time.
Participants use the existing apps of the participating e-mobility service providers (eMSPs) to enter their planned departure time and desired battery level. Smart algorithms then shift charging sessions to grid-friendly time windows. As 97 per cent of all public charging sessions are initiated via the eMSPs’ charging cards and apps, these platforms provide a natural route to scale the project.
