Vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology lets select electric vehicles power your house during outages or flatten energy bills. The capability exists, but only on specific models with the right hardware and software support.

General Motors leads the pack. The Chevrolet Blazer EV, Equinox EV, and Silverado EV work with GM Energy's home charging and battery system. Ford's F-150 Lightning supports bidirectional charging through Ford Intelligent Backup Power. Hyundai's Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 5N enable V2H with compatible equipment. Kia's EV9 and EV6 models also support the technology.

Volvo recently expanded its V2H roster with the new EX60 arriving in the US market. Volkswagen is rolling out capability on its ID.4 and ID.5 models. These automakers partnered with energy companies and hardware makers to build the necessary infrastructure.

The technical barrier matters. V2H requires a compatible bidirectional charger, compatible home battery system or panel upgrade, and vehicle compatibility. Not every EV has the onboard charger design to handle power flowing out instead of just in. Older models or those using older charging standards cannot participate.

Costs remain substantial. A typical V2H setup including charger installation and software runs $5,000 to $15,000. Some utility companies offer rebates. As grid demand grows and more renewable energy gets deployed, V2H becomes more valuable. You can charge during off-peak hours when electricity costs less, then draw power back during peaks.

The appeal extends beyond blackout protection. During extreme weather or high energy demand periods, V2H can offset grid stress and lower personal electricity costs. California and other states aggressively promoting EV adoption view V2H as infrastructure critical to managing