V2X Cluster

Europe’s electric mobility landscape has taken a step forward with the creation of the V2X Cluster – a collaborative initiative uniting Horizon Europe projects to accelerate the development of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies and smart, interoperable, inclusive EV charging solutions.

Launched by five sister projects – EV4EU, DriVe2X, FLOW,SCALE and XL-CONNECT – the Cluster expanded in June 2025 to include AHEAD, NEVERFLAT,and ePowerMove, strengthening its expertise and impact.

 

A Shared Vision for Sustainable Mobility

The V2X Cluster is built on the belief that decarbonising transport requires more than advances in vehicle design. True transformation depends on vehicles that can easily communicate with infrastructure, energy networks, and each other. By contributing to the advancement of V2X technologies, the Cluster supports the European Commission’s vision for integrated electric mobility and digitalisation.

Beyond technical innovation, the initiative actively engages with policymakers, industry, and civil society to accelerate EV adoption and overcome barriers to large-scale deployment. The Cluster also works to ensure innovation meets societal needs, such as reducing emissions, easing congestion, and enhancing quality of life.

 

Driving Impact Together

To streamline collaboration and maximize results, the Cluster is structured around five thematic areas: Business Models, Battery Degradation, Consumer Perspective, AC vs. DC Charging and Policy and Regulation. 

Cluster representatives hold regular meetings to share insights, coordinate strategies, and address common challenges, such as:

  • V2X charging business models
  • National and EU regulatory frameworks
  • Urban-scale deployment of smart charging and V2X technologies
  • Inter-regional cooperation and coordination on smart charging and V2X

By fostering collaboration across projects, the V2X Cluster aims to accelerate the adoption of future-ready EV charging infrastructure across Europe, ensuring a more sustainable and connected mobility ecosystem.

SCALE

SCALE advances smart charging and V2X infrastructure in Europe, aligning user needs, standards, and policies for mass EV deployment.

SCALE is a three-year project (2022-2025) co-funded by the new Horizon Europe Programme with a budget of around 10 million EUR. It aims to advance smart charging infrastructure and facilitate the mass deployment of electric vehicles. The project will reduce uncertainties around the roll-out of smart charging, interoperable and V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) solutions, whether these are technical, organizational, economic, social or policy-related, and help shape a new energy eco-system wherein the flexibility of EV batteries’ is harnessed.

A consortium of 29 partners composed of leading European cities, universities and knowledge partners, charging infrastructure companies, electric vehicle (EV) industry pioneers and more will steer the project.

 

DriVe2X

DriVe2X advances mass EV deployment by enabling bidirectional V2X energy transfer, smart charging, and AI-driven flexibility marketplaces.

DRIVE2X aims to accelerate the shift to mass electromobility deployment through innovative smart charging techniques and technological advancements in bidirectional charging solutions.

A set of low-cost bidirectional charger units are tested and validated under different use cases in eight demonstrators, presenting different operational settings (buildings, homes, and directly at the grid level), contributing to accelerate the wide uptake of V2X (Vehicle-to-everything) technology.

 

FLOW

FLOW implements user-centric V2X and smart charging solutions across five European demonstrations to optimize EV flexibility, grid integration, and decarbonization.

FLOW “Flexible energy systems  Leveraging the Optimal integration of EVs deployment Wave” is a Horizon Europe project focused on testing, validate and enhance V2X smart charging through driving patterns of real users on real grids, that deliver flexibility assets to favour additional penetration of renewables and alleviate energy grid challenges.

 

XL-Connect

XL-Connect optimizes EV charging chains and energy storage, using digital twins and advanced technologies to enhance grid stability across Europe.

The main goal of the XL_Connect Horizon Europe Project is to optimize the entire charging process, starting from energy generation all the way to the end user, in order to benefit everyone involved. This involves creating a charging solution that is widely available and can be accessed on demand.

The solution will be based on an optimized charging network, taking into account various factors such as human behavior, technical considerations, and economic aspects along the entire charging process.

 

 

AHEAD

AHEAD uses AI to optimize EV charging locations and grid integration, balancing user access, economic benefits, and network stability 

The AHEAD project will create a simulation environment capable of predicting the most convenient location to place electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and optimise the usage of the power grid resources located in urban and rural areas.

This simulation environment will exploit the unique features of available AI models and include spatial mapping (placing the chargers where the people need them to be) and the power grid (placing the chargers where the grid can support them). Innovative smart charging algorithms will be designed and tested in the model, to minimise the impact of EV charging pools on the network and ensure the consumers have economic benefits.

These smart charging algorithms will be tested in three demonstration sites, dedicated to assessing the technical and economic feasibility of smart charging light and heavy-duty EVs, and boats.

 

NEVERFLAT

NEVERFLAT develops low-cost, bidirectional EV charging infrastructure using advanced technologies to enhance grid stability and renewable energy integration.

As the demand for electric vehicles increases, so does the need for efficient, accessible, and affordable charging infrastructure. Users face challenges in finding suitable charging points. This gap can hinder widespread adoption of electric vehicles and impact grid stability. There is also a need for seamless integration between vehicles and charging infrastructure.

The EU-funded NEVERFLAT project will develop a low-cost, bi-directional charging infrastructure. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies like machine learning, WBG semiconductors, and advanced simulation models, NEVERFLAT will optimise deployment, enhance grid stability, and improve renewable energy usage.

The project will be validated through pilot sites in Germany, Romania, and Spain, demonstrating its potential for widespread, user-friendly adoption across Europe.

 

 

ePowerMove

ePowerMove develops affordable, user-friendly, bidirectional EV charging infrastructure and grid optimization solutions to support mass e-mobility adoption

 ePowerMove is transforming electric vehicle (EV) charging with smart, low-cost, non-intrusive and bi-directional solutions that integrate seamlessly with the power grid. By leveraging advanced control and predictive technologies, the project helps ease grid congestion and optimise power supply management.

Beyond technology, ePowerMove focuses on user needs, developing databases in pilot countries to understand charging habits and socio-cultural factors, ensuring solutions are accessible and inclusive.

By advancing Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technologies and renewable energy integration, ePowerMove reduces costs, increases energy efficiency, and accelerates the shift to sustainable e-mobility.