September 2025: V2G Breakthroughs, Grid Flexibility & CPO Growth

Europe’s EV charging sector accelerated in September with major steps toward grid integration, megawatt-scale hubs, and expanded public networks. Germany rolled out its first V2G service, while Italy and Belgium unveiled new flagship charging hubs. Meanwhile, national and EU funding is driving progress in rural and underserved regions. CPOs are pairing fast expansion with smarter, grid-ready infrastructure to support mass adoption.

Here’s a look at the month’s key developments.

Northern Europe

United Kingdom

• Connected Kerb Upgrades UK Network: Connected Kerb is upgrading its 9,000 chargers with hardware replacements, 1,000 safety tests, and smarter grid integration. Its smart charging feature—already live at 2,800 sites—lets drivers save up to £3.40 per charge by shifting to off-peak hours.

• InstaVolt Opens New South Croydon Site: InstaVolt has added a new ultra-rapid site at Co-op South Croydon, featuring two 160 kW chargers powered by renewables and available 24/7.

• Blink Joins Paua Platform: Blink Charging’s 3,500 UK connectors are now available through Paua, boosting the aggregator’s network to 67,000+ connectors for fleets and businesses.

• Norfolk Adds 24 e-Buses: Norfolk County Council and First Bus are investing £13.8m in 24 new electric double-decker buses, supported by depot upgrades in Norwich and Great Yarmouth.

• Kempower & EO Deliver e-Bus Charging: The two companies have deployed over 300 e-bus charging points in the UK, including their first pantograph site in Scotland, which enables ultra-fast 500 kW overhead charging.

Denmark & Sweden

• FLEXECHARGE Launches World’s First VPP with Public Chargers: In partnership with Recharge, FLEXECHARGE connected 500+ ultra-fast chargers at 66 Swedish sites to form a Virtual Power Plant, enabling second-level grid-balancing services and new revenue streams for CPOs.

Scotland

• Councils Awarded £6.3m for 1,770 Chargers: Eight southern councils will expand the network to 7,100 charge points, the final round of the £30m EV Infrastructure Fund.

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Central & Western Europe

Germany

• BMW & E.ON Launch V2G Service: Germany’s first V2G service with the BMW iX3 lets drivers earn up to €720/year by feeding energy back to the grid, with no battery degradation.

• Bidirectional Charging Gains Regulatory Backing: Germany’s Federal Network Agency has proposed rules granting EVs equal regulatory status to stationary batteries, paving the way for remuneration, subsidies, and home-grid use.

• Octopus EV Enters Germany: Octopus Energy plans to offer leasing, home charging, Electroverse roaming, and smart tariffs by early 2026, with Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) services to follow.

France

• Bump Partners with Atlante: Over 1,000 fast chargers will be added across France, taking Bump’s network to nearly 10,000 points—35% of the country’s fast-charging capacity.

• CCV x Atlante Anniversary Promotion: CCV and Atlante are offering 40% off charging at 18 stations until 31 October via the myAtlante app.

• Charge France Calls for 2035 Zero-Emission Target: Alongside its partners, Charge France urged the EU to remain firm on the ban, citing cost savings, reduced CO₂ emissions, and energy independence.

Netherlands

• Allego & HORNBACH Build 20 Charging Hubs: Allego will install 160 fast chargers at Dutch HORNBACH stores by 2026, utilizing battery storage and smart load balancing to mitigate grid congestion.
• Q-Park Moves 1,700 Chargers to GreenFlux: Q-Park Netherlands has transitioned its charging operations to GreenFlux for increased flexibility and support for growth.

Belgium

• Fastned Opens Largest Belgian Hubs: Fastned has launched its flagship sites on the E17 at Gentbrugge, featuring 16 car and 2 truck chargers each, powered by renewable energy and serving up to 26 million vehicles annually.

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Poland

• Warsaw Orders 79 Solaris e-Buses: MZA Warsaw ordered 79 electric buses with an option for 79 more, continuing a partnership that has already delivered 1,350 vehicles, including 163 e-buses.

Switzerland

• Energie 360° Expands Network: Following the MOVE acquisition earlier this year, Energie 360° is growing its Swiss HPC footprint and removing roaming fees by November.

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Southern Europe

Italy

• FastWay Opens First Charging Hubs: Independent CPO FastWay launched hubs in Brescia and Turin, expandable to 240 kW and powered by 100% renewables. It aims to install 15,000 fast and ultra-fast chargers in Italy within 10 years.

• Milence Opens First Italian Hub: Milence’s site in Bagnolo San Vito, located on the Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridor, offers 400 kW CCS truck charging, with MCS upgrades planned.

Spain

• InstaVolt Opens New Site in Catalonia: InstaVolt has opened a new ultra-rapid site in Vic, Catalonia, featuring four 160 kW chargers powered by renewable energy, located on the busy C-17.

Greece

• EIB Funds Joltie SA Expansion: The European Investment Bank is providing up to €17.5m in venture debt to Greek CPO Joltie SA to expand charging in Southeast Europe, targeting underserved areas.

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Eastern Europe & Baltic

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia

• EBRD Lends €60m to Ignitis: The funding will enable the installation of 600 EV chargers along TEN-T corridors in the Baltics by 2027, thereby strengthening regional infrastructure.

Lithuania

• Zaptec Go 2 Launches in UK & Baltics: Zaptec introduced its V2G-ready 22 kW AC charger, featuring ISO 15118, solar integration, and over-the-air updates—future-proof for homes and fleets.

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Multi-Regional

• EU Commission Reaffirms 2035 ICE Ban: Ursula von der Leyen confirmed the deadline as “non-negotiable,” positioning it as both climate policy and industrial strategy.

• Powerdot Eyes Generative AI: Powerdot views AI as the key to personalizing charging, optimizing payments, predicting maintenance, and enhancing reliability across Europe.

• Shell Launches Fleet Charging Network: Shell is combining depot solutions with its public charging network for heavy-duty fleets, cutting ownership costs by up to 25%.

• Elli Hits 900,000 Chargers: Volkswagen’s Elli now provides access to 900,000 public chargers across 28 countries, including 80,000 high-power points.

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Looking Ahead

September underlined how Europe’s charging ecosystem is shifting from simple expansion to smart, grid-integrated infrastructure. V2G pilots, virtual power plants, and AI-driven services are now central to the rollout. As megahubs multiply in Italy, Belgium, and beyond, fleets and households alike are gaining tools to stabilise the grid and cut costs. With the EU holding firm on 2035, the sector is clearly moving from build-out to integration, optimisation, and mass readiness.

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