Koolen Industries and We Drive Solar in the spotlight with Europe’s largest V2G car-sharing project

Reuters interviews Kees Koolen on breakthrough for grid stability

Press release – 30 June 2025, 8.00 hours

The largest rollout of bidirectional electric vehicles (V2G) in Europe is now a reality. In collaboration with Renault, MyWheels and Gemeente Utrecht, Koolen Industries portfolio company We Drive Solar is equipping the city of Utrecht with 500 grid-connectable Renault EVs, supported by We Drive Solar’s proven bidirectional charging technology.

With this project, Utrecht takes another decisive step towards becoming the world’s first city-wide energy system powered by shared solar cars. The V2G technology enables electric vehicles to feed energy back into the grid at times of high demand, playing a crucial role in grid stability as electrification accelerates.

The scale and impact of this project have not gone unnoticed. International news agency Reuters conducted an interview with Kees Koolen, CEO of Koolen Industries, recognising both the technical achievements and the broader significance for Europe’s energy transition.

“This feels like a tipping point,” said Kees Koolen in the Reuters article, highlighting the potential of vehicle batteries to actively support the renewable energy system of the future.

Koolen Industries and We Drive Solar are proud to contribute to a sustainable energy infrastructure where solar and wind energy are continuously available through smart storage solutions.

Read the full Reuters article here for more insights on this milestone project: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/dutch-car-sharing-firm-adds-renault-evs-capable-powering-local-grid-2025-06-04/

About Koolen Industries

Koolen Industries’ mission is to make clean energy and clean mobility the new normal for everyone. Available, attainable and affordable. The company invests in cleantech companies and enables its group companies to perform and co-create. The Koolen Industries team has a track record of building successful multinational organisations and is determined to do it again together with their group of cutting-edge cleantech companies. More information: www.koolenindustries.com

About We Drive Solar 

We Drive Solar is a leading supplier of smart charging solutions to support a 100% renewable energy system. The company has been active in bidirectional charging solutions for 10 years and supplies AC bidirectional chargers to international customers. We Drive Solar has achieved several international firsts in the field of bidirectional charging in collaboration with car manufacturers such as Renault. 

More information: www.wedrivesolar.com