Short answer: Technology that lets your EV power your home during outages or peak electricity rates using a bidirectional charger.
Explanation
Vehicle-to-home uses your EV's battery to supply electricity to your house. When the grid goes down, your car can keep the lights on, the fridge running, and essential appliances working. When electricity rates are high during peak hours, your car can supply power to your home, and you recharge later when rates drop.
V2H requires a bidirectional home charger and an integration with your home's electrical panel. The charger converts DC from the car battery to AC for your home, and manages the switchover between grid power and car power. Installation is more complex than a standard wallbox because it involves your home's main electrical panel.
A typical 60-80 kWh EV battery can power an average European home for 2-3 days during an outage, depending on consumption. In areas with frequent power outages or large differences between peak and off-peak electricity rates, V2H can provide genuine value. Some homeowners combine V2H with solar panels: solar charges the car during the day, and the car powers the home in the evening.
Where you'll see this
- In vehicle specifications
- In charging network apps
Common confusion
V2H and V2L are different. V2H powers your entire home through a dedicated bidirectional charger connected to your electrical panel. V2L powers individual devices through an outlet on the car. V2H requires professional installation, V2L works out of the box.
Example
A Nissan Leaf connected to a Wallbox Quasar bidirectional charger can power a home's essential circuits during a grid outage, keeping the fridge, lights, and internet running for over 24 hours.
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