AUSTRALIA’S two biggest electricity providers, Origin Energy and AGL, have both announced fresh trials of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology – a system that lets certain electric vehicles feed power back into the grid.
AGL’s programme is the bigger of the two, opening this week for expressions of interest from owners of select Hyundai, Kia, BYD and Zeekr models. The trial will run for 12 months and, unlike earlier small-scale tests, covers customers under all major National Electricity Market (NEM) distribution networks in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.
Importantly, AGL has confirmed it is working directly with the carmakers to ensure that participation won’t affect the vehicle’s battery warranty.
Origin’s approach is a little different. According to Drive, instead of asking existing EV owners to join, the company is offering a subscription package tied to the BYD Atto 3. For under AUD800 (RM2,222) a month after tax savings, customers will get the car on a novated lease along with a StarCharge V2G Halo bi-directional wallbox.
The bundle also includes up to 320kWh of free energy each month – equivalent to roughly 24,000km of annual driving – provided the vehicle is connected to the charger for at least 12 hours a day, 20 days a month. Origin’s trial will be limited to just 50 customers and won’t officially begin until 2026.
V2G technology effectively turns EV batteries into mobile energy storage. Drivers can use the car to power their home during expensive peak periods and then recharge later when electricity is cheaper. It also allows energy to be sold back to the grid in exchange for credits to offset household bills.
AGL says its smart software will handle the balancing act, making sure the car is ready to drive when needed, while future updates will let customers set their own charging preferences.
As part of the launch, the first 50 AGL participants will be offered a discounted bi-directional charger, bringing the installation cost down to roughly that of a regular home EV charger.
The company says feedback from this trial will help shape a broader V2G rollout for its customers in 2026.
The vehicles eligible for the AGL trial include the facelifted Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, the upcoming Ioniq 9, Kia’s EV3, EV6 and EV9, as well as the BYD Atto 3 – which will require specific manufacturer modifications only available to trial participants – and selected Zeekr models.
While the Atto 3 is currently the only BYD confirmed, the Shark 6 and Sealion 6 plug-in hybrids are being considered for future programmes.
Although V2G has traditionally been associated with the CHAdeMO plug used by cars like the Nissan Leaf, these trials are focused on the far more common CCS2 port. This makes the technology much more relevant to the Australian EV market moving forward.
The CEOs of Hyundai, Kia and BYD in Australia have each expressed strong support for the trials, calling the technology a game changer and a significant step towards maximising the potential of electric cars. With Origin and AGL both now on board, vehicle-to-grid might finally be moving from theory into everyday reality for EV owners down under.