(Frankfurt am Main, November 5, 2025) Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are not only a means of transportation, but also active players in the energy system. This is a key finding of the new brief study by the VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies, which will be presented for the first time this week at the VDE E-MOBILITY CONFERENCE 2025.
Unimpressed by auto summits and public debates, Germany is on the threshold of the mass market for electric mobility. The technology has been tried and tested millions of times and is ready for the market – the question is no longer whether, but how quickly electric mobility will become established on the roads. However, electric mobility should not be viewed in isolation, as the mobility and energy sectors are converging. Players from the energy and mobility sectors are entering into partnerships to enable bidirectional charging, for example. Sector coupling is an important element on the road to an "all-electric society."
"The question is not if – but when."
This development has prompted the Power Engineering Society within VDE (VDE ETG) to ask experts from politics, industry, and research how they see electric mobility in the energy system of the future. "The aim of the short study is to enrich the discussion with facts and data on electromobility and to create a basis for discussion," explains Dr. Ralf Petri, Managing Director of VDE ETG, and Head of Mobility at VDE. "Because the question is no longer whether electromobility will prevail, but when and in what form."
The study therefore focuses on the connection between the two sectors of mobility and energy, with electric cars as an active component in the energy system. Through controlled and bidirectional charging, electric cars can absorb peaks in renewable energy generation and shift charging processes at short notice. This stabilizes the power grid and reduces electricity costs, as the experts explain.
Misconceptions are cleared up
In addition to this aspect, which is rarely discussed in public, the short study also clears up misunderstandings. For example, battery-electric cars already achieve a better carbon footprint than combustion engines after around 30,000 kilometers; at 150,000 kilometers, CO₂ emissions are only 24 tons compared to 40 tons for gasoline cars. The higher purchase costs are also more than offset by lower operating costs. And even global reserves of materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel are sufficient for the electrification of private transport, according to the experts – with even trucks up to 7.5 tons already economically competitive today.
But what does this mean for society, the economy, and politics? In order to leverage the full systemic potential of electric mobility and bidirectional charging, experts believe that cross-industry solutions and regulatory clarity are needed. Progress, particularly in the context of interoperability and the standardization of national and European grid connection conditions, represents a key milestone in this regard. According to the study, in the short term, economic and grid-compatible operation could be tested by 2030 by adapting regulatory requirements and drawing on experience from numerous pilot projects, provided that political support is given, legal adjustments are made, and digital solutions are implemented quickly.
The short study can be found here (German version).
VDE E-MOBILITY CONFERENCE 2025
The study will be presented this week at the VDE E-MOBILITY CONFERENCE 2025 at the Coreum in Stockstadt am Rhein, the central industry meeting place for electric mobility in Germany. On November 5 and 6, 2025, leading experts, decision-makers, and innovators will gather to shape the future of sustainable mobility together.
You can find more information about the conference here.
