Emissions reduction potential and feasibility of vehicle-to-grid for Beijing’s future electric vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) offer significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road transport. However, nighttime charging increases peak demand and thermal power reliance. This study evaluates vehicle-to-grid (V2G) as a solution by integrating GPS-based EV travel data with hourly grid modeling for 2 million EVs in Beijing. Results show V2G boosts renewable energy use in charging to 66%, up from under 4% in uncoordinated charging. V2G cuts vehicle uncoordinated charging emissions by 20.6% and reduces the grid's GHG footprint by replacing thermal power with discharging electricity. Commuter vehicles and the summer months offer the highest V2G emissions reduction potential. The study finds battery degradation manageable and highlights synergies between V2G, renewable capacity expansion, and economic incentives, while emphasizing the need for robust infrastructure and local grid networks to support large-scale EV adoption. This approach therefore offers a promising pathway to accelerate sustainable energy solutions amid increasing vehicle electrification and renewable integration.