Can an EV really help power your home when the power goes out? It’s one of the biggest FAQs people have about electric cars — but the answer can be a bit confusing. It’s either a yes, with a but – or a no, with an unless. To find out which EVs can offer vehicle-to-home (V2H) tech to keep the lights on or even lower your energy bills, keep on reading.
UPDATE 20MAY2026: a new Volvo, and the return of ID.BUZZ!
Modern EVs have big, efficient batteries capable of storing enough energy to power home for days. That can mean backup power during a storm or the ability to use stored energy during expensive peak hours and recharge again when kilowatts are cheap.
That’s all true – but only in theory. Because, while your EV might have a big battery, that doesn’t mean it has the special hardware and software that allow electricity to safely flow back out of the car baked in. Car companies call this vehicle-to-home (V2H) or bi-directional charging, and only a handful of models currently support it. That’s that, “yes, with a but” asterisk.
Yes, an EV can power your home, but it has to be one of these.
Ford F-150 Lightning
Ford made early headlines using its F-150 Lightning as a life-saving generator during winter ice storms and hurricanes, so it should come as no surprise that it’s included in this list. The best-selling electric truck in America can send up to 9.6 kW of power from its onboard batteries back to the house. More than enough to keep the lights on and the refrigerator running during an outage.
To make it work, you’ll need to install the Charge Station Pro (formerly called Intelligent Backup Power) home charger, the Home Integration System (HIS), which includes an inverter, a transfer switch, and a small battery to switch the system on, as well Ford’s Charge Station Pro 80A bi-directional charger (which comes free with the Extended Range F-150 Lightning, but costs about $1,300 otherwise).
All-in, you’re looking at about $5,000 in hardware, plus installation, to make it work.
Kia EV9
With up to 300 miles of range and ultra-fast charging, the seven-passenger electric SUV from Kia has been a hot seller. And back in March, the Kia EV9 unlocked yet another new feature: vehicle-to-home charging.
When paired with the Quasar 2 bidirectional charger from Wallbox (and the associated Power Recovery Unit, or PRU), a fully-charged Kia EV9 can power a standard suburban home for three days. Longer, still, if you’re keeping the energy use low. The Wallbox Quasar 2 isn’t cheap, though – pricing starts at $6,440 (again, plus installation). For that price, you the PRU plus a wall-mounted 12 kW L2 charger with 12.8 kW of with discharge power on a split-phase system.
We recently had a chance to speak with The Mobility House at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas, where we discussed the company’s most recent V2G collaboration with Kia. You can check it out here.
ALL the current GM EVs
That’s right, kids – while the Chevy Brightdrop, GMC Hummer EV, and hand-built, ultra-luxe Cadillac CELESTIQ were once the exceptions to the rule, every current GM EV can send the energy stored in its battery back to your home through the GM Energy Home System, one of the most fully integrated EV + battery backup + solar options in the business.
What’s more, with the right EV you’ll be able to keep the lights on for a VERY long time – up to 21 days with a 2024 Silverado EV First Edition RST, according to GM Energy website.
The flip side of GM Energy’s battery backup system is charging, and GM says its new 19.2 kW Powershift Charger delivers around 6-7% more juice than a typical 11.5 kW L2 charger, delivering up to 51 miles of range per charge hour. Bi-directional charging requires the Powershift Charger to be paired up with a compatible GM EV and the GM Energy V2H Enablement Kit.
The full system retails for $16,997, plus installation, and can be financed through GM Financial – but if you act fast, you can save $1,700 on the full system.
Nissan LEAF
The version of the Nissan LEAF we get in the US ship with NACS connection and Tesla Supercharger access, along vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability baked in, enabling the compact crossover to offer both in-cabin and cargo area outlets capable of up to 1500 watts of combined discharge. Not enough to power a home or big appliances on its own, but more than enough to plug some essentials into.
Over in Japan and Europe, however, things are decidedly different, with Nissan continuing to offer LEAF-to-grid solutions:
LEAF continues the nameplate’s ability to deliver Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) functionality, allowing it to supply electricity back to a home or receive solar generated energy. The all-new LEAF can be connected to a home energy management system, enabling users to power household appliances or charge devices using the energy stored in the vehicle’s battery … this capability enhances energy efficiency, reducing reliance on the gride during peak times and provides additional convenience for LEAF owners. It also allows the vehicle to act as a backup power source in the event of a power outage.
Will that capability eventually make its way to the US? That depends on the relative success of the NACS-equipped new LEAF, and (of course) Nissan’s overall survival in North America as an independent brand — neither of which is a given.
That said, the new LEAF is a massive upgrade from the previous LEAF, and is definitely worth a look if you’re shopping for a budget EV.
Polestar 3
Polestar and home energy company dcbel are rolling out vehicle‑to‑home (V2H), blackout backup, and smart charging features for Polestar 3 owners in the US, starting in California.
This initial setup utilizes DC power and activates V2H capability for Polestar 3 models based on a 400-volt architecture. The California‑only offer includes dcbel’s Ara home energy system and could help drivers cut charging costs by as much as $1,300 a year. Polestar says the car could also serve as emergency backup power for up to 10 days, depending on conditions.
Renault 5 E-Tech
For our European readers, the electric LeCar revival is part of a growing ecosystem where the car can, when combined with the Mobilize Powerbox bidirectional charging station and the Mobilize V2G service, send power back to its owner’s home or even participate in grid services.
“Thanks to Mobilize V2G, cars become an energy reserve. All drivers have to do is regularly connect their vehicle to the Powerbox to optimize their electricity bill and cut carbon from their mobility,” says Corinne Frasson, Director of Energy Services at Mobilize. “On average, the cost of charging is cut by half. That is how Mobilize’s mobility solutions are more sustainable and affordable.”
It’s still early days for the Renault, arguably – but the message is clear: bidirectional charging isn’t just for big SUVs or trucks with huge batteries, and even these little guys can contribute.
Taiga Orca WX3
Candian startup Taiga have been offering high-performance electric watercraft for several years now. For 2026, their third-gen offering features automotive-grade fast charging that will allow riders to plug into the same fast charging networks their electric cars and trucks use, getting them back in the water in 30 minutes or less.
That said, this isn’t an article about fast-charging your PWC. Taiga is incorporating bidirectional charging into all its electric watercraft as of 2026, turning the PWC EVs into a mobile energy resources that can recharge equipment at the dock, power hotel loads on larger yachts, or bring power to an off-grid cabin or campsite.
Tesla Cybertruck
Cybertruck owners may have zero taste, but they have two options when it comes to powering their homes with their trucks. If they already have a Tesla Powerwall, they don’t need anything else. If they don’t, they’ll need to install a Universal Wall Connector charger, a Powershare Gateway, and a Tesla Backup Switch.
That second option will run about $3,500, plus installation.
Volvo EX90 AND EX60
As with the Polestar option mentioned, above, Volvo and home energy company dcbel are rolling out vehicle‑to‑home (V2H), blackout backup, and smart charging features for Volvo EX90 owners in California.
This initial setup utilizes DC power and activates V2H capability for both the EX90 and the just-announced EX60 model EVs. The California‑only (for now) V2H offer includes dcbel’s Ara home energy system and could help drivers cut charging costs by as much as $1,300 a year, and enable the newest electric Volvos to serve as emergency battery backups for up to a week, depending on conditions and (of course) what you’re actually willing to live without.
Volkswagen ID.BUZZ
Back and better than ever for 2027, the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ with the 77 kWh battery has been announced with V2H and V2G capabilities on the ISO 15118-2 standard in Europe and, presumably, is a software update or two (or twelve) away from offering the same capability to North American buyers.
“The bidirectional charging function in the ID. models in combination with the DC charging technology is a dynamic extension of the home storage system. This takes over the main energy supply for the house,” reads the official VW press copy. “Assuming an average consumption of a house of approx. 30 kWh, it can be supplied with electricity for around two full days. The high-voltage battery cannot be discharged below 20% state of charge to ensure readiness for mobility.”
That rounds off my (current) list of vehicles that ship with V2H software baked in, so if you’re wondering whether or not your EV can be used to power your home, now you know the answer is yes, as long as it’s one of the ones listed here. But you might remember that I answered the initial question by saying it was either a yes, with a but – or a no, with an unless. So if you want to use your car’s battery as a backup, but don’t have one of the EVs listed above, that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck.
No, with an unless
As some of the earliest and most enthusiastic EV adopters, Tesla fans have also been among the loudest advocates for using the energy stored their cars’ batteries to back up their homes — or even the grid itself. Unfortunately for them, the slow-selling Cybertruck is the only Tesla vehicle that officially supports bi-directional charging. If you’re one of the many Model 3 and Y owners frustrated by those delays, there’s good news: those vehicles are now capable of V2H charging thanks to an “impressive” Powerwall competitor, Sigenergy.
The good news doesn’t stop there, however. The Sigenergy V2X also works with both the popular Kia EV6 and Electrek‘s 2024 EV of the Year, the Volvo EX30 over the DIN70121 protocol, and several VW/Audi/Porsche and Mercedes-Benz EVs over the ISO15118-2 protocol.
Our own Editor-in-Chief, Fred Lambert, recently went on a Sigenergy deep dive with Sylvain Juteau, President of Roulez Electrique, and came away deeply impressed with the system. I’ve included the video, above, and you can read more about the system itself at this link.
And, of course, I look forward to learning about any V2H models or more universal battery backup systems from you, the smartest readers in the blogosphere, in the comments.
Original content from Electrek.
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