Can electric vehicles power a house during a blackout?

Yes, electric vehicles equipped with bidirectional charging capabilities can power a house during a blackout, acting as backup power sources.

How many electric vehicles in the US can power a home?

Approximately 630,000 electric vehicles in the U.S. are capable of bidirectional charging strong enough to power a home or apartment.

What is bidirectional charging in EVs?

Bidirectional charging allows an electric vehicle to not only draw power from the grid but also discharge electricity back to power a home or other devices.

Home / Technology / EVs Power Homes in Blackouts: Your Truck as a Backup Battery

EVs Power Homes in Blackouts: Your Truck as a Backup Battery

6 Feb

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Summary

Electric vehicles are now serving as emergency backup power during outages.
Hundreds of thousands of EVs are capable of bidirectional charging.
EVs offer a significant advantage during extended power disruptions.

EVs Power Homes in Blackouts: Your Truck as a Backup Battery

Electric vehicles are demonstrating their utility beyond transportation, serving as vital backup power sources during recent widespread power outages. In West Monroe, Louisiana, Keith McGrew utilized his Ford F-150 Lightning to power his home for three days during a blackout when neighbors struggled for gas. This capability, known as bidirectional charging, is becoming more prevalent, with approximately 630,000 EVs in the U.S. equipped to discharge electricity strong enough for home use.

About 14 of the 70 EV models currently available in the U.S. offer bidirectional charging. Major automakers like General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, and Volvo are incorporating this feature, with upcoming models from BMW, Tesla, and Rivian also expected to include it. Ford's F-150 Lightning has been particularly instrumental, with around 101,000 units acting as mobile power plants during severe winter weather. Ford's associated home power system, which automatically detects outages, saw quadrupled usage recently.