V2V Bidirectional Charging: The Concept of Vehicle-to-Vehicle Charging

Running out of range is one of the biggest fears many drivers associate with electric vehicles. The idea of a nearly empty battery and being stranded with no charging station in sight can feel unsettling, especially on long trips or in unfamiliar areas. 

In the future, Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) charging could help in such situations, as it allows one EV to charge another. Let’s find out how it works and when it will become a common feature.

• Vehicle-to-Vehicle feature allows one electric vehicle to directly charge another

• It is not widely supported by electric car manufacturers

• V2V isn’t prioritised because EVs rarely run out of battery

V2V is a function that allows one electric car to charge another directly using energy from its own high-voltage battery. In other words, energy is flowing from battery to battery. V2V belongs to the broader group of bidirectional charging functions known as V2X. 

The group also includes:

• V2L – Vehicle-to-Load: powering external devices and appliances
  Status: Already available and in practical use today with numerous supported vehicles.

• V2H – Vehicle-to-Home: powering your home
  Status: Technically close to market readiness. Hardware is largely prepared, but widespread rollout depends on ISO 15118 standardisation, compatible vehicles, and clear national regulations. DC-based V2H is more mature, while AC-based V2H is limited since it requires a bidirectional onboard charger in the vehicle.

• V2B – Vehicle-to-Building: similar to V2H but powers larger structures like offices or warehouses
  Status: Faces similar challenges as V2H.

• V2G – Vehicle-to-Grid: sending energy back to the grid
  Status: In pilot and early commercial projects in select countries. DC-based V2G is more advanced, with standards largely in place, while AC-based V2G is still emerging. Broad adoption is slowed by regulatory frameworks and grid integration requirements.

From a standards perspective, V2V is often treated as a small subset of V2L because the underlying principle is similar: the EV supplies energy outward. In early roadmaps, it’s considered an emergency assistance scenario.

V2V charging can be implemented using either AC or DC power transfer, depending on how the energy is routed between vehicles.

• In AC V2V, the supplying vehicle converts battery DC power to AC using its onboard inverter, and the receiving vehicle converts it back to DC via its onboard charger. This approach is widely compatible with existing charge ports and hardware. However, it is less efficient and typically limited to lower power levels.

• In DC V2V, energy is transferred directly as DC between the vehicles’ high-voltage systems, avoiding AC altogether. This results in higher efficiency and potentially higher power. On the other hand, it requires dedicated hardware, control, and safety mechanisms that are not yet broadly standardised.
  This type of charging involves the so-called DC-DC converter. It transfers energy from one DC voltage level to another while tightly controlling current. Without it, you would be directly connecting the donor battery (e.g. 410 V) to the receiver battery (e.g. 340 V).

It’s important not to confuse two very different concepts that share the same abbreviation:

• V2V bidirectional charging – one EV charges another

• V2V communication – cars exchange data for safety and automation

These two have nothing to do with each other, so don’t mix them up. When we talk about V2V in the context of charging, we are strictly referring to peer-to-peer energy sharing between vehicles.

Unlike bidirectional charging involving the grid, V2V does not have an impact on electrical systems outside of the two vehicles directly involved in the process. This keeps the process simple: there are no regulatory requirements, no smart meters, no grid operator approvals, and no risks of double taxation.

Unlike V2G and V2H, V2V can be defined by the following characteristics:

• Energy flows only between vehicles, not into homes or the grid

• No infrastructure, regulation, or market integration required

• Designed for short-term, vehicle-to-vehicle support rather than high-power energy delivery

Because V2V relies on low-power AC output in most cases, it provides only enough energy to reach the next charging point. In contrast, V2H or V2G can deliver higher power and support homes or the grid with meaningful energy flows.

In V2V bidirectional charging, one electric vehicle acts as the energy source and supplies electricity, while the other vehicle acts as the energy receiver and uses that electricity to charge its battery. Based on current examples, charging power can vary from 1.4 kW to 60 kW.

Energy is transferred directly from one vehicle to another via a cable. This usually requires either a special V2V charging cable. In most cases, no external charging station or wallbox is needed, because the power electronics inside the vehicle manage the energy flow. Some solutions may require a small adapter, but not a large external unit.

To enable V2V charging, vehicles need:

• Compatible onboard hardware, such as bidirectional power electronics

• Supporting software, which controls communication, safety, and energy flow

Having a large battery alone is not enough for a vehicle to act as an energy source. The vehicle must be able to intentionally and safely discharge its battery through the charging port. This also involves defined communication protocols that control current, voltage, and safety.

In Europe, the regulatory status of V2V is not clearly defined. VDE FNN, the technical regulator for electricity grids in Germany, classifies V2V as a special case of V2L. According to Agora Verkehrswende, V2V is neither economically nor regulatorily relevant. Therefore, it is not actively supported by policy or market frameworks.

If an electric vehicle supports V2L (e.g. Hyundai IONIQ 6, Kia EV6, BYD, MG4, BMW iX, etc.), it can output 230 V AC through a V2L adapter or built-in socket. If you plug in a portable emergency charger into that socket, it will deliver AC power to another EV, which technically can then charge.

There is no EU regulation that forbids charging an EV using AC power supplied by another EV. However, in the Hyundai IONIQ 5 manual, the following is stated about V2L adapter use: “Only use home appliances under 16 amperes”

Of course, you can reduce the charging power of the vehicle that needs a power boost to stay within the V2L limits. Technically, the process will work. However, V2L is designed for powering appliances, not charging another car, so the manufacturer might deny warranty coverage if something goes wrong.

To clarify the practical availability of V2V, we reached out to Lucid, a manufacturer whose EVs are equipped with this capability. Their response was the following:

Only a few EV manufacturers offer models equipped with a V2V feature. These include  Lucid, Geely and Ford. While such solutions are already in use in the US, they are not yet available in Europe, mainly due to regulatory and approval requirements.

In the US, the Lucid Air currently stands out with its fully integrated V2V capability called RangeXchange. The technology allows your Lucid to share its stored battery energy with another EV, even those that do not have their own V2V capabilities. With up to 9.6 kW of output power, RangeXchange can deliver roughly 40 miles (~64 km) of range per hour to the receiving car. That’s almost like regular AC charging and more than enough to get a stranded EV back on the road and to the proper charging station.

Although the feature is designed to work between Lucid vehicles, the company has gone a step further. You can use RangeXchange to charge almost any EV equipped with NACS or J1772 charging ports, which are standard in the US. In Europe, the Lucid Air is already designed for V2V and bidirectional charging, but the feature is not yet enabled. Lucid plans to activate it in the future once the required software and regulatory approvals are in place, using Type 2 charging cables.

The Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Geely is gradually entering the European market, with its vehicles already available in several European countries, including Slovenia, Italy, and Poland. The technical specifications of the EX5 model indicate that it supports V2V capabilities. Interestingly, this feature is listed alongside V2L, which is already widely used across Europe. This makes it look like V2V functionality is on the same level of readiness.

Zeekr, the premium electric brand of the Geely Group, has equipped its latest sedan with bidirectional charging capabilities. All Zeekr 007 models come standard with an external DC power supply. The car can perform vehicle-to-vehicle charging with a maximum output of up to 60 kW.

The F-150 Lightning is able to charge other Ford vehicles as well as EVs from other manufacturers, but this is not true V2V charging via a charging port. Instead, it works by using the truck as a mobile power source. To do this, the user needs:

• Pro Power Onboard – Ford’s built-in power system that provides AC power from the truck’s battery

• Ford Mobile Power Cord (30 A) – sold separately, which is used to plug the receiving EV into the Lightning’s power outlet.

In practice, the F-150 Lightning supplies AC power, and the other EV charges as if it were plugged into a regular power outlet or wall charger. The feature is available for EV drivers in the US, but not in Europe. 

All F-150 Lightning vehicles can use their onboard 120 V outlets to support Level 1 charging of another electric car. F-150 Lightning vehicles with 9.6 kW Pro Power Onboard can support Level 2 charging of another EV. To enable Level 2 charging, you also need a NEMA L14-30P to 14-50R adapter - most portable EV chargers in North America have such an outlet.

V2V sees little demand because EVs rarely run out of power, and charging is widely available. The technology requires missing bidirectional hardware and software, increases vehicle cost, faces regulatory and liability barriers, is limited by battery size, and adds significant safety complexity.

Electric cars rarely end up completely without power because:

• modern systems warn the driver well before the battery reaches zero

• drivers can reduce energy consumption by driving slower, turning off AC or heating, unplugging devices, and using other battery-saving measures

• charging options are widely available, and infrastructure is growing quickly

• if no public chargers are available, you can even charge at a standard 230 V socket in emergency cases

• home wallboxes, such as the go-e Charger, allow drivers to leave home with a full battery, whether they live in a city or in rural areas 

To enable V2V, manufacturers must implement specific software functions. For example, you should be able to set a limit on how much power you want to have left after helping someone out. While the settings aren’t complex, this one is important - you wouldn’t want to help a friend only to realise that your own car now needs a rescue.

Beyond software, V2V also requires specialised bidirectional hardware that most EVs do not currently include. Standard onboard chargers are designed only to receive energy, not to send it. To support V2V, vehicles need bidirectional inverters.

Bidirectional inverters are more expensive than unidirectional onboard chargers. Furthermore, additional power electronics, contactors, sensors, and protection circuits are required. Add software development, testing, and certification to that, and you might start asking yourself whether making electric cars more expensive because of this feature is worth it.

Energy flowing out of a vehicle introduces regulatory complexity. In some regions, feeding power externally classifies the vehicle as an energy supplier. In addition, it is unclear who takes responsibility in case of damage to the vehicle, cable, or battery. That’s one of the reasons why V2V is not legalised in Europe yet.

We expect V2V to appear primarily in vehicles with larger battery capacities. Smaller packs offer limited usable energy for both driving and sharing. For example, if you drive a Fiat 500e with a 42 kWh battery, you are unlikely to have enough energy to reach a stranded friend, transfer a meaningful amount of power, and still retain sufficient charge to reach the next charging station — even if you start at 100%.

The system must ensure that the helping vehicle is not fully discharged and prevent overheating or incorrect cable use. On top of that, it should guarantee proper grounding and electrical isolation, and protect against unauthorised access. These requirements make V2V more complex than one-directional charging.

Manufacturers are already rolling out bidirectional-ready inverters to support V2H and V2G. Once the market shows enough interest, adding V2V on top of that foundation could become a natural next step.

Automotive clubs and rescue services may end up playing a key role in making V2V feel normal. Although instances of an EV actually running out of charge are extremely uncommon, the ability to deliver quick roadside energy could still boost driver confidence. 

For V2V to take off in Europe, two things will matter most:

• A clear legal definition that explicitly separates V2V from complex, grid-interactive technologies like V2G

• Shared communication protocols that allow vehicles to safely exchange DC power

V2V could even evolve into a differentiating feature for certain brands.