Vehicle-to-Grid in the UK fleet market: An analysis of upscaling potential in a changing environment

Abstract

Vehicle fleets are considered an important context for the deployment of innovations such as electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. Fleet vehicles constitute a significant share of vehicle registrations, yet little research has been conducted into how the make-up of the changing fleet market could influence upscaling of innovations. This paper presents an in-depth study of the fleet market in the United Kingdom and assesses synergies between V2G and vehicle fleets by analysing socio-technical trends. The approach taken allows for analysing the role of users and markets in upscaling socio-technical transitions. The paper provides a system-level account of the fleet market, and shows how changing user characteristics, the rise of telematics, Low Emission Zones and changes to business operations and labour relations present specific drivers and challenges for V2G. It is concluded that user-related changes in the market environment are highly influential in shaping the upscaling trajectory of sustainable innovations such as V2G.