Swiss Post launches V2G pilot project with light electric vehicles

Source: Electrive

Swiss Post has launched a four-month pilot project to explore the potential of using light electric delivery vehicles (including e-bikes and moped scooters) as mobile energy storage units to support the local electricity grid. The initiative employs vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, enabling the fleet to charge during periods of high renewable energy input and feed electricity back into the grid during times of peak demand.

The project is a collaboration between Swiss Post, Kyburz Switzerland AG, and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), Institute of Electrical Engineering, with financial support from the Federal Office of Energy’s (SFOE) pilot and demonstration programme (P+D). A key innovation is the use of alternating current (AC) charging, converted to direct current (DC) by onboard devices within the vehicles, allowing them to participate in grid balancing while continuing daily delivery operations.

“As soon as the scooters arrive at the depot in the early afternoon, we calculate the charging and discharging profiles in accordance with the Groupe-e variable tariff in order to get the most out of the vehicles in supporting the electricity grid,” said Severin Nowak of HSLU.

The pilot could generate additional revenue for Swiss Post, which operates a large fleet of electric vehicles with predictable schedules, making them ideal for grid operators seeking coordinated energy storage solutions. However, regulatory frameworks for dynamic charging and financial incentives are not yet fully developed across Europe. Grid operators must implement variable tariffs to allow vehicle operators to profit from energy arbitrage, charging when electricity is abundant and inexpensive, and feeding it back when prices are higher. In the Groupe-e network area, such tariffs are already in place, enabling the Fribourg-based project to test the economic potential of fleet-scale V2G.

Michael Graf of Swiss Post states that the project aims to determine how much grid support the fleet can provide and what monetary benefits can be realised.

In addition to financial considerations, the project evaluates the technical feasibility of bidirectional AC charging. The vehicles continue their delivery routes while their charging and discharging are coordinated through Kyburz Switzerland AG’s back-end system and HSLU’s algorithms, optimised according to Groupe-e tariffs.

The pilot also provides a contrast to other approaches, such as battery-swapping stations, where V2G applications could aggregate multiple batteries into a virtual power plant. Swiss Post’s approach focuses on each vehicle’s battery, enabling real-time participation in grid balancing without disrupting delivery schedules.

This initiative complements Swiss Post’s ongoing efforts to decarbonise its transport operations. In cities such as Zurich and Bern, the company’s postal fleets already operate entirely on electricity, eliminating fossil fuel usage.