New USCALE study: high interest, limited real commitment. Only one in six EV drivers sees real value.
5-Market bidirectional Charging Study 2026: Technology Ready, Market Is Not
Stuttgart, 16/06/2026 – Bidirectional charging is widely regarded as a key enabler of the energy transition. Grid operators, manufacturers, and policymakers have high expectations for the technology. However, a new study on the market potential of bidirectional charging shows that there is a significant gap between media hype and actual willingness to buy.
According to the five-country study, the addressable target group among current EV drivers stands at 17 percent and at 6 percent among ICE drivers as future EV buyers.
For the Bidirectional Charging Study 2026, USCALE surveyed more than 10,000 people in Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The study comes at the right moment: bidirectional charging is once again a central topic at the Power2Drive trade fair, which opens in Munich on 23 June.
Awareness of bidirectional charging: high
Not every car driver is a candidate for bidirectional charging in the first place. Those without a private parking space cannot connect their car to the grid at home when parked. Among EV drivers with a private parking space, around 38 percent know what bidirectional charging is. A further 34 percent are at least familiar with the term. Among internal combustion engine (ICE) drivers with their own parking space at home, awareness is higher than expected: 20 percent know the technology, and another 32 percent say they have heard the term before.
Interest in bidirectional charging: high. Willingness to act: low.
When respondents are introduced to the basic idea of bidirectional charging, they initially find the technology appealing: 53 percent of BEV drivers say they can imagine using bidirectional charging. Among combustion engine drivers with their own parking space at home, the figure is still 22 percent.
However, once respondents have to weigh up the potential advantages and disadvantages, their view changes: Under the assumption of sufficient revenues and acceptable investment costs, the share of those who see a tangible personal added value in bidirectional charging and would consider investing drops significantly. The realistically addressable target group then falls to 17 percent among BEV drivers and 6 percent among ICE drivers.
If the offer conditions are not attractive from the user’s point of view, the share of reachable customers declines further. With very attractive offer conditions, the share can increase somewhat.
What really motivates people to use bidirectional charging
The top usage drivers are expected cost savings, enthusiasm for technological innovation, and environmental benefit. For Vehicle-to-Home, perceived energy independence and the ability to use self-generated solar power are also strong motivators.
For providers, these findings offer a clear foundation on which to build compelling marketing arguments.
The drawbacks of bidirectional charging remain significant
Real barriers stand alongside the benefits. The biggest obstacle is the upfront investment in home charging infrastructure. Add to that concerns about potential battery degradation, uncertainty around a technology still perceived as immature, and a day-to-day effort that feels too high.
Bundled offers from OEMs and technology partners combining vehicle, charging infrastructure, and warranties can partially address these concerns. Until broad trust is established, education remains a core responsibility for all players in the market.
Quote from Dr Axel Sprenger
“The technology is ready, but bidirectional charging primarily solves a problem for energy providers struggling with slow grid expansion. Without the users, the equation does not add up. The study shows that users still need to be convinced.”
About the Bidirectional Charging Study 2026
For the Bidirectional Charging Study 2026, around 10,000 people were surveyed in February 2026 across Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden (more than 800 BEV drivers and more than 1,200 ICE drivers as a reference group per country). The study covers awareness and attitudes, technical and personal readiness, product-market fit, willingness to pay, revenue expectations, and purchase and integration requirements for Vehicle-to-Home, Vehicle-to-Grid and Vehicle-to-Building. For the addressable target group, the product-market fit was calculated using the Pain-Gain approach (link to methodology).
Further informations:
Information on the Bidirectional Charging Study
Overview of the study contents
Company Abstract
USCALE is a market research firm based in Germany specialising in electric mobility. With its own panel of more than 10,000 EV drivers, USCALE’s customer insights studies deliver structured insights into user pain points and the opportunities available to all providers in the EV market.
Contact
USCALE GmbH, Silberburgstrasse 112, 70176 Stuttgart, GERMANY, media@uscale.digital