Mercedes Launches Vehicle-to-Grid Charging in Germany
Mercedes-Benz is launching a home vehicle-to-grid charging package in Germany that lets compatible electric cars return energy to the power system while they are parked. The automaker announced the program with The Mobility House Energy on October 12, 2026.
The service, called MB.CHARGE Home Pro Intelligent, combines a bidirectional DC wallbox, a Mercedes electricity tariff and an app that tracks charging, energy returned and customer credits. It will begin with the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC and the new electric C-Class. Mercedes says more models will follow, but it has not announced a U.S. launch.
What Mercedes is offering
| Item | Announced detail |
|---|---|
| Initial market | Germany |
| Wallbox | 11-kW bidirectional DC unit for 400- and 800-volt vehicles |
| Starting models | Electric GLC and electric C-Class |
| Launch price | €1,990 for the first 500 customers, versus a stated regular price of €2,990 |
| Introductory deadline | End of March 2027 |
| Potential annual bonus | More than €500 when connected about 12 hours a day, according to Mercedes |
The introductory package also includes €250 in public-charging credit for the first 500 customers. Mercedes says the annual payment has no daily, monthly or yearly cap during the offer, although the actual amount depends on how long the vehicle remains plugged in. After the introductory period, compensation will follow the terms then in effect.
Those numbers are company projections, not a guaranteed return for every owner. Participation requires the compatible wallbox, the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Pro Eco electricity tariff, MB.CHARGE Home Pro, a smart meter and an eligible vehicle. Local utility and regulatory requirements can also affect availability.
How vehicle-to-grid charging works
Conventional home charging moves electricity from the grid into an EV battery. Vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, adds the reverse path: software can draw a controlled amount of energy from a parked car when the grid needs it, then recharge the battery when conditions are more favorable. The owner is paid for making that storage capacity available.
Mercedes says its ChargeLine Bidi wallbox uses the ISO 15118-20 standard and can receive over-the-air updates. The 11-kW unit can charge EVs using either 400- or 800-volt electrical architectures. Bidirectional operation, however, depends on a compatible Mercedes vehicle and the rest of the company’s service package; broad charging compatibility does not mean every EV can export power through the system.
More Mercedes EVs are planned
Mercedes lists the VLE, GLA, EQS, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake and GLB among the models expected to gain access after the electric GLC and C-Class. Depending on the model, bidirectional capability will be activated after launch through an over-the-air update. The company says selected markets outside Germany are planned, but it has not provided countries, pricing or timing.
The rollout arrives as European manufacturers try to make EV ownership more useful beyond transportation. Volkswagen has reported stronger European electric-vehicle orders, while BMW’s latest quarterly figures showed rising battery-electric deliveries in Europe even as its global volume fell. Read our reports on Volkswagen Group’s Q3 EV demand and BMW’s Q3 deliveries.
What remains to be proven
Mercedes calls this the first market-ready bidirectional-charging solution in Germany from an automaker using open, standardized technology. That is the company’s characterization. The practical value will still depend on installation costs, household energy use, plug-in time, battery-management policies and future tariff terms.
The automaker and The Mobility House also estimate that two million bidirectional-capable vehicles could prevent almost half of Germany’s current renewable-energy curtailment and cut system costs by a nine-figure euro amount. That conclusion comes from the companies’ joint analysis rather than an independent regulator study.
For German buyers considering the program, the immediate questions are straightforward: whether their home can support the required hardware and smart meter, whether their driving routine leaves the car plugged in long enough to earn meaningful credits, and whether the limited introductory terms justify the upfront wallbox cost.
Source: Mercedes-Benz Media, October 12, 2026.
Featured image: Illustrative home EV energy station; it does not show the Mercedes-Benz ChargeLine Bidi wallbox. Photo by dcbel via Unsplash, used under the Unsplash License.