Assessment of vehicle-grid integration profitability subject to real-world driver behavior and electricity tariff

The growing adoption of battery electric vehicles creates a need for optimized charging strategies that manage energy demand and charging costs. This study uses a dataset of 49,693 parking events and 11,271 charging sessions, which are collected from 50 vehicles, to investigate the impact of potential charging sessions on optimal VGI charging strategies within different utility territories in the United States, each with distinct pricing mechanisms. Our cost-benefit analysis shows that drivers can save between $3,000 and $5,000 annually in high-electricity price territories, while in low-price territories, savings can reach up to $400. However, if drivers keep their current charging behavior, they can save between $1,500 and $3,000 annually in high-price territories and around $200 in low-price territories. Beyond financial benefits, optimal strategies reduce emissions by shifting charging sessions to hours with more renewable generation, which reduces CO 2eq by up to 2 tonnes per vehicle each year on average. These results demonstrate the importance of potential charging behavior and pricing structures to maximize economic benefits. Our findings suggest that policy measures are necessary to support such programs. This study helps guide charging infrastructure planning and supports updating battery warranties to account for battery degradation caused by VGI participation. • Real-world dataset of 49,693 parking and 11,271 charging events from 50 BEVs. • V1G and V2G evaluated under TOU, EV-Rate, and RT-Rate across four U.S. utilities. • Optimized VGI saves up to $5,000 and reduces up to 2 tonnes CO 2 per BEV annually. • Grid and rate structures shape optimal strategies, combining V2G under EV/RT-Rate or V1G under RT-Rate. • Bidirectional charger placement depends on electricity rate structures.