Vehicle to Grid (V2G) in Scotland: Use Your EV as a Home Battery

If you've spent time in the world of electric cars lately, you've probably heard about V2G technology. The concept is easy enough to sound like it's almost too good to be real: your vehicle could be powering your home, or even feeding electricity back into the grid when rates are high. This is already taking place in Scotland, and it may be more relevant to your business or home than you know.

What Is V2G? (And V2H, and V2L)

Let's clear up the jargon first, since there are three different words going around and they do not mean the same thing.

V2L (Vehicle to Load) is the simplest. Your EV is one big power bank on wheels. Plug in a camping kettle, use site tools, or top up your laptop. Loads of new Korean and Chinese EVs already have this, the MG4, Kia EV6, Hyundai IONIQ 5, and BYD all do. It's handy for camping holidays or emergency power, but it won't talk to your house electrical system.

V2H (Vehicle to Home) is where things get really interesting for homes. Your EV powers your home through a tailored bidirectional charger. Charge your car at night when the price is cheap on a smart off‑peak tariff, then use that stored energy during peak, expensive times instead of paying higher peak rates from the grid. It's also excellent as a reserve supply in the event of power failures, and if you've experienced winter power failures out in the sticks, you'll appreciate having 60kWh of reserve waiting on your drive.

V2G (Vehicle to Grid) does one better. Not only do you power your home with your EV, but when the demand is high, it sells electricity back to the grid as well. You get paid for it, and you're helping Scotland avoid blackouts by providing additional capacity at just the moment Scotland's grid requires it. You will, nonetheless, need permission from your Distribution Network Operator (later on more about them).

So, what's Actually Available in Scotland Right Now?

Octopus Energy and BYD launched the UK's first true V2G bundle, the Power Pack, in June 2025. For under £300 a month, here's what you'd get:

• Leased BYD Dolphin (nice little city runaround with 210 miles of real-world range)
• Zaptec Pro bidirectional charger, fitted
• Free home charging for every mile driven (up to 12,000 miles per year)

The maths is interesting. Octopus calculate average drivers save around £620 a year compared to normal home charging, and nearly £1,000 compared to filling up a petrol car. But…. and this is a big point, you have to plug in frequently, typically most nights. Minimum plug‑in requirements apply; if you're out and about all day and charge only once a week, this won't be for you.

There's another kick in the teeth for many Scottish homes, you can't have Power Pack if you're already exporting to the grid. So if you've got solar panels on a Smart Export Guarantee tariff, or a home battery exporting unused energy, you're already disqualified. That's frustrating for those who've installed renewables and now want V2G as part of the deal.

The Scotland Specific Bits You Need to Know

Scotland has two Distribution Network Operators: SP Energy Networks (SPEN) for the Central Belt and South of Scotland, and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) for the North and Islands.

For V2G, you need something called G99 approval from your DNO. Essentially, they are treating your EV as a generation unit and need to ensure that your local grid will be able to take it. Timelines vary: there are “Fast Track” pathways for smaller, export‑limited installs that can be assessed in around 10 working days, while more complex applications can take several weeks to a few months. There's no guarantee of approval. If your portion of the grid is already operating close to capacity, or there are issues with the electrical configuration of your home, they might reject. This specifically comes into play in rural Scotland where grid infrastructure may be older or less extensive. In many cases, the DNO may require an export‑limiting scheme (G100) that caps export (commonly 3.68 kW per phase, or 7.36 kW where appropriate).

Your installer (us, JME Green Energy) deals with the G99 application, but note that it isn't immediate and there's a risk of local conditions to cause rejection.

What G99/G100 mean in practice

• G99 treats your V2G-enabled EV/charger as generation and checks local network capacity before allowing export.
• Where capacity is tight, DNOs may approve on condition you install export-limiting (G100), often capping export at 3.68 kW per phase, with higher limits (e.g., 7.36 kW) where appropriate.

Which Cars Can Actually Do This?

This gets a little hairy. Lots of manufacturers promise V2G "soon," but for now in Scotland, your realistic options for legitimate grid export are:

Definitely working today:

• Nissan Leaf (any generation), the original V2G pioneer, equipped with CHAdeMO connector — subject to availability of a compatible, certified bidirectional charger and DNO approval
• BYD Dolphin (through the Octopus bundle)
• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has demonstrated V2X in trials via CHAdeMO, but mainstream, UK‑certified domestic V2G solutions for homes are limited — treat as “trialled” rather than broadly available today

Coming very soon (hardware in place, awaiting ultimate softwares/approvals):

• Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4, ID. Buzz
• Kia EV9
• Hyundai IONIQ 5 & 6

The Nissan Leaf is actually your best bet if you require V2G outside of the Octopus package, as it's been doing this for years and the technology is proven. The problem is to get a certified bidirectional charger: first‑generation CHAdeMO units existed but are difficult to source now, and CCS bidirectional chargers (for most newer cars) such as the Wallbox Quasar 2 are being introduced with UK availability and approvals rolling out, but not yet universal. It's early days, and the ecosystem is still catching up.

Hardware ecosystem caveats

• CHAdeMO bidirectional chargers used historically are harder to source in the UK today.
• CCS bidirectional chargers are emerging and undergoing UK certifications; availability is improving but not yet universal.

What About Battery Degradation?

This is what all of us wonder, and it is logical. Being utilized more often by your car battery, surely that wears it out faster, right?

The good news is that independent studies (including work by RWTH Aachen and industry partners) have found that V2G has quite minimal impact on battery lifespan if managed correctly. With smart charging and careful cycling, long‑term capacity loss can be comparable to, or even better than, aggressive fast‑charging and always charging to 100%. The difference is closer than you might think.

The BYD Dolphin employs LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries, which are perfect for V2G. In contrast with the NMC batteries in high-end EVs (Audi, BMW, Mercedes), LFP batteries can withstand many more charge cycles and you can charge them to 100% periodically without fear. They're made for this type of work.

Practical tips for preserving battery health

• Prioritise smart charging schedules and moderate state-of-charge windows where possible.
• Follow your vehicle manufacturer’s guidance on daily charging habits and software updates.

The Business Case for Scottish Homes

Let's get down to earth. If you are the average Scottish household with 7,500 miles per year, and you are happy to be tied up to the plug in schedule (overnight, most nights), the Power Pack deal could save you real cash. It doesn't cost nothing, you are hiring out your car and Octopus get to have the flexibility of when your car charges and when it discharges. You're always guaranteed enough charge to go driving, but you're basically trading some control for lower bills.

If you already have solar panels or an export-worthy home battery, you're cut out of Power Pack currently. In that case, waiting until 2026 when there are other options on the horizon is advisable. Or check out a Nissan Leaf with a matched bidirectional charger if you require V2H backup power soon, subject to DNO approval and actual hardware availability.

Who benefits most

• Households that can plug in most nights and have predictable driving patterns.
• Homes without existing export tariffs who can join bundled V2G offers.

Where JME Green Energy Fits In

A lot of installers in Scotland aren't understanding the big picture, the DNO approval process, what chargers are actually certified, how V2G interacts with current solar and battery systems, and what tariffs are appropriate for different household behaviors.

That's what we're filling. Whether it's:

• A site survey and G99 application for V2G/V2H
• Installing a bidirectional charger for a Nissan Leaf owner (where compatible hardware is available)
• Waiting for 2026 models or going with Octopus now
• Designing whole home energy systems combining solar, batteries and EVs

...We can walk you through what works and what doesn't today and what is worth waiting for.

Curious if V2G would be intelligent for your home? We'd love to hear from you. We'll check your DNO, analyze your driving style, and tell you upfront if this technology is available for you, or if you should wait another twelve months.

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