Kanya Pranawengkapti, S. Shrestha, Stefan Werland, Émilie Martin, Oliver Lah
Energy and transport have long operated in ‘silos’, creating inefficiencies and conflicting goals. Breaking these silos through sector coupling links electricity and transport, aligning policies and actions to decarbonise mobility while boosting renewable energy use. By substituting fossil fuels with renewable electricity across transport and other end uses, sector coupling strengthens sustainability and accelerates climate goals. Building on prior research on electric vehicles and renewable energy, this paper examines the challenges and opportunities of sector coupling between energy and transport to maximise renewable integration in EVs, advancing a more sustainable and decarbonised transport system. Through a systematic literature review and interviews with relevant stakeholders, it examines various use cases in urban and rural settings, including strategies for controlled charging, bidirectional interactions between vehicles and the power grid, and off-grid solutions. The findings highlight a range of technical, regulatory, and economic challenges but also indicate promising pathways for collaboration among policymakers, industry, and civil society. Ultimately, by bridging the gap between energy and transport, this paper underscores how cross-sectoral approaches can help achieve a more sustainable and low-carbon mobility system