Amsterdam has launched a six-month trial of a smart charging scheme that aims to relieve pressure on its electricity grid while helping electric vehicle (EV) drivers cut their charging costs.
The programme began in March, as cities across Europe grapple with the twin challenges of electrification and ageing power infrastructure.
The Dutch capital is working with partners Equans, Deftpower, and ANWB on what it calls “active smart charging” – a system that encourages EV drivers to delay charging to off-peak times when electricity is cheaper and greener.
Participants are rewarded with cashback through the ANWB app. More than 3,000 public charging points across the city are participating.
More renewable energy
The trial invites drivers to plug in and log their expected departure time using the app. From there, Equans automatically schedules the charge session to align with quieter times on the electricity network.
Or with moments when renewable generation, such as wind or solar, is at its highest. The more efficiently a driver’s session fits into the grid’s needs, the more they’re financially rewarded.
Amsterdam city officials say the pilot could help tackle peak-time grid stress and support broader climate goals by making better use of clean energy. Amsterdam has already been experimenting with “grid-aware” charging at some sites, which dynamically adjusts the power based on current network capacity.
But the smart charging pilot goes one level up, shifting responsibility – and incentive – to drivers themselves.
“Some of our infrastructure is already grid-conscious, but this pilot takes a step further by involving drivers directly in the solution,” a city spokesperson said. “By linking energy pricing to user behaviour, we’re trying to build a system that benefits both the grid and the consumer.”
Earning money
There’s also a national agenda in play. The pilot supports the Netherlands’ broader ambition, under the National Agenda for Charging Infrastructure (NAL), to make smart charging the norm.
The goal is for 60% of all charging sessions to be smart-enabled by the end of 2025. For now, Amsterdam’s effort is the first time drivers can earn money for flexible charging in public spaces.
Through Deftpower’s backend platform, cashback is calculated and paid directly via the ANWB app, offering real savings to drivers willing to change their habits. Officials hope the incentive will make flexible charging more appealing as the country’s EV population grows.
The project seeks to balance domestic and clean mobility needs. According to reports, housing construction in Amsterdam is currently restricted due to an inadequate electricity supply.
Also, smart charging is a much friendlier way of redirecting supply than imposing a complete ban on charging during peak hours.
A model for other cities?
Similar experiments are already showing promise elsewhere in the Netherlands. Charging firm Tap Electric recently completed a trial in Limburg and North Brabant using real-time grid data to guide charging behaviour.
That scheme found that more than half of all demand could be moved to off-peak hours, significantly easing local grid congestion.
For Amsterdam, the trial will measure energy outcomes and user responses to the new system. If successful, it could lay the groundwork for a wider rollout beyond the Netherlands in cities facing comparable challenges.
