A Comparative Analysis of V2G and G2V Potentials in Clean Mobility for Pakistan and Sub-Saharan Africa

As electric vehicles (EVs) gain traction in low- and middle-income countries, their role in grid modernization and energy resilience has become increasingly relevant. This paper explores the transformative potential of bidirectional charging, Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Grid-to-Vehicle (G2V), in two emerging clean mobility landscapes: Pakistan and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). While both regions grapple with fragile power infrastructure and nascent EV markets, they also share promising conditions for decentralized energy solutions, including rising urbanization, policy interest, and renewable energy capacity.We present a comparative analysis of the clean mobility ecosystem, policy readiness, and energy mix dynamics in Pakistan and SSA, contextualizing the promise and pitfalls of V2G/G2V adoption. To complement the policy and systems-level insights, we simulate the grid impact of varying EV penetration scenarios (baseline, low-density, and high-density) under both unidirectional (G2V) and bidirectional (V2G) frameworks. Using realistic adoption figures and residential 7–11 kW charger profiles, we model hourly load interactions to assess how EVs can either burden or stabilize local grids. Our findings reveal that while G2V adoption under high-density scenarios introduces significant early-evening grid stress, V2G strategies during peak demand periods can offset this load, effectively transforming EVs into distributed energy assets. The results underscore the need for region-specific charging policies, infrastructure investment, and digital control systems to harness the co-benefits of clean mobility and grid flexibility. Ultimately, we argue that V2G and G2V systems, if strategically implemented, can accelerate both electrified transport and energy transition pathways in Pakistan and SSA.