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Technology report
May 2026
Vehicle-to-grid technology
…EV batteries become flexible assets for energy storage rather than mere loads to the grid. There are varying degrees of flexibility. With unidirectional smart charging (V1G), the charging power can be modulated to align electricity demand with generation profiles or to alleviate grid congestion. With vehicle-to-building (V2H/V2B), the EV can additionally discharge energy for use in a home or building, either to serve as a backup during power outages or to lower electricity bills by leveraging dynamic tariffs and increasing self-consumption of rooftop solar. Finally, V2G technology can push energy from the EV battery into the…
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Technology report
May 2026
Ultra-fast charging batteries
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 New power‑electronics materials, battery cell technologies and battery pack architectures are enabling more efficient, higher‑voltage – and therefore faster – charging systems. Advances in batteries and power electronics are improving EV performance Over the past decade, average EV battery pack energy density (Wh/kg) has increased by around 60%, while prices have fallen by roughly 75%. Moreover, in 2023, battery-related patents accounted for 40% of all energy-sector patents, suggesting that more developments are still to come. At the same time, new power‑electronics materials, battery cell technologies and battery pack architectures are enabling more efficient, higher‑voltage – and…
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Technology report
May 2026
Artificial intelligence and EVs
…same time, the benefits of AI and increased computing power are not exclusive to EVs. AI‑enabled energy management systems are increasingly used to optimise hybrid vehicles, and AI techniques are accelerating the design, testing and optimisation of all vehicles. Advances in AI underpin progress in autonomous vehicles Just two decades ago, state-of-the-art autonomous vehicles were confined to test tracks, and whiledriverless cars they already employed a wide array of sensors, the software was limited to rule-based and physics-driven methods. These methods are nearly impossible to generalise to real-world complexity. Machine learning algorithms, on the…
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Technology report
May 2026
Autonomous vehicles
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 Progress in AI and computing power is disproportionately benefiting EVs, particularly for automated driving and integrated vehicle control. Sensors and chips integrate well with the stable, high-voltage power supply of EV batteries. Electric vehicles lead in automation and advanced driver assistance Driving automation is at the forefront of software developments for cars today. While fully autonomous cars (Level 5 automation)) are not currently in sight, electric driverless taxis (Level 4) are already operating commercially in more than 20 cities worldwide. Moreover, automated driving systems are not limited to self-driving cars – they are also rapidly gaining…
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Technology report
May 2026
Vehicle software and software-defined vehicles
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 The transition from mechanical to software-based vehicle control has been underway for decades and has accelerated dramatically with the rise of EVs. Pure-play EV makers have pioneered the shift towards high-level, continuously updateable software-based vehicle control, speeding up the development and rollout of new features. Vehicles are evolving into software platforms for which users can access subscription‑based premium features, in the same way as for smartphones. A new design paradigm is emerging, with EVs at the forefront The digital transformation of the car industry is most evident in the emergence of software…