Can Curbside EVs Help Power Cities?

State-backed pilots are testing curbside bidirectional charging, hinting at a future where parked EVs help balance local power grids

12 Jan 2026

Electric vehicles are beginning to play a role beyond transportation, as policymakers and utilities test whether they can also support the electric grid. Recent state funding decisions point to how that idea is moving from theory toward limited, real-world trials.

In California, the Energy Commission has awarded grants to support curbside chargers capable of bidirectional power flow, according to agency announcements. The projects focus on public charging equipment that can both draw electricity from the grid and send it back from parked vehicles, examining whether ordinary street parking can serve as a flexible energy resource.

For an electric system under pressure from growing demand, the effort marks a cautious expansion of vehicle-to-grid experiments. Until now, most bidirectional charging has been tested in private homes, school bus depots, or commercial fleets, settings where charging behavior is more predictable. Extending those trials to public streets could widen access, particularly in dense neighborhoods where residents lack garages or private chargers.

The premise is straightforward. Cars typically sit idle for long stretches, storing energy that could be tapped during periods of peak demand. Advocates say even limited participation could help stabilize local distribution networks, integrate renewable power more smoothly, and postpone expensive infrastructure upgrades.

Several pilot programs are now probing those claims. In Richmond, Calif., a planned curbside vehicle-to-grid demonstration is designed to measure how bidirectional chargers perform in residential settings, including effects on the grid, vehicle batteries, and driver participation. Other state and local agencies are exploring similar projects, though most remain small and highly localized.

Utilities and city planners describe these efforts as groundwork rather than a market shift. Many are incorporating electric vehicles into long-term grid planning and studying how bidirectional charging might eventually fit into utility operations, even as widespread adoption appears distant.

The funding also carries implications for charging manufacturers and software providers. Public agencies are signaling that future charging infrastructure may be evaluated not only on speed and reliability, but also on grid compatibility and intelligent control systems.

Obstacles persist, including pricing rules, grid coordination, data security, battery impacts, and public acceptance. Officials say public funding helps reduce risk and generate the operational data needed to assess those concerns.

If early pilots show promise, curbside bidirectional charging could slowly become part of urban infrastructure. For now, parked cars are not yet grid assets at scale, but the results could shape how cities plan for electrification in the years ahead.