DETROIT/YPSILANTI, Mich. — October 13, 2026 — Smart Grid Observer (SGO) today announced that two End-to-End Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Testbeds — one focused on AC V2G and the other on DC V2G — will be demonstrated in conjunction with the 8th V2G Business, Policy & Technology Forum, taking place October 27–29, 2026 at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

The Testbed initiative brings together utilities, automakers, charging technology providers, laboratories, test and measurement companies, cybersecurity specialists and other V2G stakeholders to demonstrate how the components required to deliver grid services from electric vehicles can operate together across the full, standards-conformant utility-to-vehicle communications chain.

“After years of hard work, we now have a set of V2G standards that can enable scaling of V2G in North America,” said James Mater, Director of Strategy, Smart Energy at QualityLogic and Co-Chair of the V2G Forum. “The V2G Forum’s V2G Testbed Demonstration is the first attempt we know of at understanding how these standards can come together in practice to create interoperable, secure V2G systems.”

The AC V2G End-to-End Testbed includes participation from:
DTE Energy
AmpVerve
Emporia Energy
Keysight Technologies
Stellantis
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
Pacific Power Source
DigiCert

The DC V2G End-to-End Testbed includes participation from:
DTE Energy
Voltra
Heliox, A Siemens Business
Pacific Power Source
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
Keysight Technologies
DigiCert

Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and with support from CharIN Global and EPRI, the initiative is focused on demonstrating and validating independent components involved in standards-conformant, end-to-end operation of the V2G communications chain.

A central objective is to establish a standards-based, interoperable demonstration environment that can help advance repeatable methods for evaluating V2G communications, interconnection, cybersecurity and system behavior. The Testbeds are designed to support development of the procedures and capabilities needed for future interoperability and conformance testing as the V2G industry moves toward larger-scale commercial deployment.

“No single company can make V2G work alone,” said George Liu, Applications Engineering Manager at Pacific Power Source. “By connecting utilities, automakers, charger makers, and test equipment providers in one shared test bed, we’re turning standards like ISO 15118-20 and IEEE 2030.5 into real, proven interoperability.”

“V2G will only scale when vehicles, chargers, aggregators and grid systems can communicate reliably across vendor boundaries,” said Mohsin Hassan, Founder & CEO, AmpVerve. “Shared end-to-end testbeds are how we uncover integration gaps early, validate interoperability and build confidence in safe, repeatable demonstrations.”

The AC and DC systems will provide complementary demonstrations of the communications and power-flow pathways involved in delivering grid services from EVs. The Testbed architecture is designed to accommodate simulated and emulated components as well as actual devices and systems, allowing participants to examine different configurations across the end-to-end V2G ecosystem.

Technical work associated with the Testbeds will include evaluation of communications and interoperability involving technologies and standards such as ISO 15118-20, IEEE 2030.5/CSIP, SAE J3072, OCPP and related grid-interconnection and cybersecurity requirements.

"Electric vehicles are quickly becoming one of the largest flexible energy resources on the grid, but that only matters if utilities can actually rely on them," said Alexander Stratmoen, CEO of Voltra and lead of the DC Testbed team. "Testbeds like this are how the industry builds that trust, by proving that equipment from different vendors can work together on open standards before it is deployed at scale."

During the October 27–29 event, Forum attendees will have an opportunity to see the Testbeds in operation and learn directly from participating organizations about the technical challenges, interoperability requirements and lessons emerging from the project.

“The V2G industry has made tremendous progress developing the individual technologies and standards required for bidirectional charging,” said Daniel Coran, Program Manager of the V2G Forum. “The next challenge is demonstrating how these elements work together from end to end. Bringing the AC and DC ecosystems together in working Testbeds gives the industry an opportunity to learn from actual system integration and move toward more standard-conformant approaches to interoperability and conformance testing.”

The Testbed project is part of a broader technical program at the Fall 2026 V2G Forum examining the policies, standards, technologies, utility requirements and business models needed to move vehicle-grid integration from demonstrations toward scalable deployment.

More information on the End-to-End Testbed project is available at:
https://v2gforum-sgo.com/end-to-end-testbed

Pre-Conference “Introduction to V2G” Basics Class

The Forum this year will also offer a three-hour Pre-Conference Basics Class: Introduction to V2G on Monday, October 26, from 2:00–5:00 p.m.

Designed for attendees seeking a practical grounding in V2G and bidirectional charging before the main Forum begins, the class will examine the technology, standards, communications protocols, certification requirements, policy frameworks and electricity-market considerations needed to enable V2G deployment at scale.

The program will include Tim Zgonena, Principal Engineer at UL, addressing technical standards, certification requirements and communications protocols involved in creating complete bidirectional charging systems. Steve Letendre, PhD, Senior Advisor to the Vehicle-Grid Integration Council (VGIC), will address the policy, regulatory and market frameworks needed to unlock the energy-storage potential of parked EVs.

The Basics Class will be held October 26 from 2:00–5:00 p.m. Full information and registration is available at: https://v2gforum-sgo.com/pre-conference-basics-class

About the V2G Business, Policy & Technology Forum

The V2G Business, Policy & Technology Forum brings together utilities, automakers, charging providers, technology companies, national laboratories, regulators, standards organizations and other stakeholders working to advance vehicle-grid integration and bidirectional charging. The Fall 2026 Forum will take place October 27–29, 2026 at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

The program combines strategic discussion of V2G business models, policy and utility programs with detailed examination of interoperability, standards, communications, cybersecurity, testing and real-world deployment.
Event information and registration: https://v2gforum-sgo.com/