V2G vs V2H vs V2B vs V2X: what is the difference?
Compare V2G, V2H, V2B and V2X by where EV battery energy goes, what each use case can do and what a working bidirectional system requires.
V2G vs V2H vs V2B vs V2X: what is the difference?
The difference is where energy from the EV battery goes. V2G exports to the public grid, V2H supplies a home and V2B supplies a larger building or site. V2X is the umbrella term for all these bidirectional uses.
The UK electric vehicle smart charging action plan uses the same distinction: the “X” can be a home, building or electricity grid.
What is V2G?
Vehicle-to-grid sends electricity across the site boundary to the public network. An energy supplier, aggregator or flexibility provider normally coordinates when participating vehicles charge and discharge.
V2G can support grid balancing or earn value through an energy service, but payment is not automatic. The vehicle owner needs an eligible service, suitable metering, an export arrangement and any required network approval.
What is V2H?
Vehicle-to-home uses the EV battery behind the meter to supply one household. It can reduce grid imports at expensive times, use more stored solar energy or provide backup power.
Backup is a separate function. The installation must disconnect safely from the public network and control which circuits remain powered. “Bidirectional” does not necessarily mean whole-home backup.
What is V2B?
Vehicle-to-building applies the idea to a workplace, depot, apartment building or commercial site. One vehicle or a fleet could reduce peak demand, use more local solar or supply selected loads.
V2B usually needs a building or energy-management system. Vehicle availability still matters. A fleet has transport work to do.
What is V2X?
Vehicle-to-everything is the wider category for energy exported from a vehicle. It also covers vehicle-to-load (V2L) for appliances and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) for another EV. These uses do not share one hardware design, connection or permission.
Bidirectional EV charging explained
What does every bidirectional system require?
- an EV that permits energy to leave its battery;
- two-way conversion in the charger or vehicle, depending on the AC or DC design;
- compatible communication between EV and charger;
- a CPMS, energy-management system or aggregator able to control the intended use; and
- suitable metering, protection, connection approval and commercial arrangements.
ISO 15118-20 defines messages and sequences for bidirectional transfer between EV and EVSE. It does not provide the inverter, operate an energy market or grant export permission. OCPP 2.1 can carry related functions between charger and management system.
Which label fits which use case?
- V2H describes household self-consumption, tariff optimisation or supported backup.
- V2B describes vehicle energy serving a commercial or shared site under local control.
- V2G describes energy or flexibility exported to the public grid through an authorised service.
- V2X covers the whole category or several destinations.
One installation may support several modes, but one label does not prove the rest. Ask which destination, charging mode, vehicles, firmware and operating rules were tested.
How regulation and amina hardware fit
AFIR does not require every charging point to provide V2G. From 1 January 2027, its technical specifications introduce EN ISO 15118-20 requirements for new or renovated public AC and DC points, and private Mode 3 and Mode 4 points. Export still needs the rest of the system.
amina C2 and amina M2 are AC platforms with hardware prepared for ISO 15118-20 and bidirectional charging. M2 also provides MID-certified metering, Ethernet, Modbus RTU and local load balancing. That leaves an upgrade route; it does not provide an active V2H, V2B or V2G service by itself.
Related
