in 2024, you’ll want to compare models’ price, range and charging speed. But you should also ask whether the car is capable of powering your home in a pinch. A growing number of EVs coming on the market can tap the considerable energy stored in theirinto a significant source of energy for utilities struggling to balance renewable energy production and climate-caused power disruptions.
“It's basically 10 stationary battery storage units on one truck,” says Ryan O’Gorman, energy services business strategy lead at Ford. As more people work from home, bidirectional charging also lets vehicle owners capitalize on an expensive asset that would otherwise sit idle in their driveway, he adds.The elephant in the garage is Tesla Inc. The company, which sells 61% of electric vehicles in the U.S., has previously eschewed bidirectional charging.
The first step is to connect the car to a house’s electrical system so when the grid goes out, the vehicle will automatically start supplying backup power. That requires installation of a bidirectional charger plus hardware and software to manage power flows. If you have a rooftop solar array and a home battery, a home integration system can ensure that theare charged with solar energy during the day.
F-150 Lightning participants must install a bidirectional charger and Sunrun’s home integration system in their homes. They receive $2,500 to help defray those costs as well as up to $2,175 in additional incentives. Owners of other bidirectional EVs will be eligible once PG&E vets the vehicles and other charging and energy management systems.