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What EV acceleration means for the grid – with Thomas Raffeiner and Petrouschka Werther
The smarter E PodcastShow Notes
As Europe faces rising energy-security concerns, volatile electricity markets and growing grid congestion, a new generation of energy solutions is emerging that could turn these challenges into opportunities. Recorded live at The smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich, this episode explores how EVs, smart charging, and vehicle-to-grid technology are transforming cars into active participants in the electricity system. These “batteries on wheels” have the potential to be friends rather than foes when it comes to electricity network functionality.
The Mobility House founder and CEO Thomas Raffeiner joins the pod to discuss the next phase of electrification and the company's renewed focus on energy services, following the sale of its fleet charging business. Raffeiner explains why fleet electrification is accelerating worldwide, how falling charging costs are bringing businesses closer to zero-cost and zero-emissions mobility – and why electric vehicles should be viewed as energy assets rather than as additional demand on the grid.
Also joining the podcast is Petrouschka Werther, Director of Sustainable Mobility at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, who shares how the Netherlands became a European EV-integration pioneer, with a fleet undergoing rapid transformation.
Werther explains how the country's speedy adoption of solar energy, heat pumps, and electric vehicles has created significant pressure on the electricity grid — and how smart charging and vehicle-to-grid solutions are now helping to relieve that congestion. She discusses innovative projects in cities such as Utrecht, where electric vehicles are already supporting local electricity networks, and outlines the European collaboration now underway to establish the technical standards and regulatory framework needed to scale V2G across the continent.
Together, these conversations paint a picture of an energy system where electric vehicles are able to become mobile batteries, flexible grid assets, and a critical component of a secure, affordable and renewable energy future.
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