What EV acceleration means for the grid – with Thomas Raffeiner and Petrouschka Werther

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.


️ Questions or feedback? Write us at
podcast@thesmartere.com