Firstly, AGL: its year-long V2G trial is set to open to drivers of ‘select’ EVs, specifically models from Hyundai, Kia, BYD and Zeekr. AGL states that it is working with these four manufacturers on the guarantee that drivers’ vehicle battery warranties will not be impacted by taking part in the trial.
Participants will have a bi-directional charger installed at their home, and will then receive tailored support to manage charging and discharging cycles. AGL says its goal is to measure the potential for EVs to provide grid services, reduce household energy bills, and accelerate renewable integration. It also hopes to expand the trial so that customers will have the ability to tell AGL’s V2G platform when they want their car charged and when they want to feed the grid.
Expressions of interest are opening this week, with a sign-up incentive thrown in: the first 50 eligible trial participants will get a discounted bi-directional charger and installation. Renae Gasmier, AGL’s Head of Innovation and Strategy, said: “To unlock the full potential of their electric vehicles, owners need to think about them as more than cars, but rather as home batteries on wheels. The typical electric car battery can store enough energy to power the average home for around three days.”
Origin’s V2G bundle
Origin Energy, meanwhile, is adopting a slightly different approach: a new subscription package, priced “under AUD $800 per month after tax savings”. Essentially, this bundle subscription includes a BYD Atto 3 EV on lease, a StarCharge V2G Halo bi-directional wallbox charger, plus access to Origin’s smart energy management platform.
Origin is then, immediately jumping into a commercial offer as part of its trial. The company has framed it as a way to bring V2G to mainstream households without the upfront cost of vehicle purchase and charger installation. The company notes that discharging into the grid could help customers offset monthly energy costs, while providing Origin with valuable real-world data on how fleets of EVs interact with electricity demand.
Like AGL, Origin has opened its expressions of interest for the trial, which is set to begin in 2026. In a statement, the company said: “V2G charging has the potential to turbocharge the EV market in Australia. This trial will help with understanding the impacts of bi-directional charging on customer behaviour, impacts to their EV, and test how to best share value back with customers.”
Australia has lagged behind Europe and Japan in terms of rolling out V2G commercially, so these parallel announcements from Origin and AGL thus mark a turning point. Together, they represent the first major moves by the country’s dominant utility firms to integrate EV batteries into the grid.
originenergy.com.au, agl.com.au
