Renault and EDF to Roll Out Bidirectional Charging in France Next Summer

Renault Group and Électricité de France (EDF) have announced a new bidirectional charging service set to launch in France next summer. The solution bundles an electric vehicle, a wallbox, and smart charging management, enabling owners of Renault, Alpine, and Dacia EVs to feed electricity from their car’s battery back into the grid. This marks a significant step for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology in the French market, as it integrates hardware and software into a single offering.

The partnership leverages Renault’s existing EV lineup and EDF’s energy expertise. By combining a compatible electric car with a home wallbox and intelligent charging software, the service allows for two-way power flow. This means that during periods of high demand or when renewable generation is low, the vehicle can discharge energy to support the grid. Conversely, when electricity is cheap or abundant, the car can recharge. The inclusion of Dacia and Alpine brands indicates that the technology will be available across a wide range of models, from affordable city cars to sporty EVs.

Bidirectional charging is seen as a key enabler for integrating more renewables into the grid and stabilizing supply. For consumers, it can translate into lower energy bills through smart charging and potential payments for grid services. The French market, with its strong nuclear base and growing renewable capacity, is particularly suited for such solutions. Renault and EDF are not the first to explore V2G, but their combined scale could accelerate adoption.

The service is slated to launch next summer, though exact pricing and technical specifications have not been disclosed. It remains to be seen how many vehicles will support the feature and what incentives will be offered. Nevertheless, the collaboration signals a broader trend of automakers and utilities teaming up to unlock the value of EV batteries beyond transportation.