This article is part of a series exploring the ABCs of EVs: Affordable, Better, Convenient.
Reimagining Our Transportation
Most drivers don’t spend much time thinking about what vehicles can and cannot do; they usually just get in and go. For a gas-powered car, SUV, or truck, that’s both the function and limitation: to get from point A to point B. It’s time to reimagine what our vehicles can do for us!
Electric vehicles (EVs) are better because they can do both: transport people and goods AND act as a portable energy source. The electricity stored in the battery to power the motor can just as easily be discharged to power any electric appliance. In other words, an EV is a rechargeable battery on wheels. Keep reading to hear from Charlie, an EV driver who used his vehicle to power his home for days after Hurricane Irma knocked out the grid, about how vital that additional functionality can be when storms roll in and the lights go out.
Understanding Bidirectionality of Electric Vehicles
There are essentially three ways that EVs can be used to send power back and forth to systems.
Vehicle-to-Load (V2L). This system allows EV models that are equipped with a 120V outlet to power tools and appliances by plugging directly into the vehicle. V2L does not require additional infrastructure. Additionally, an inverter can be used to pull electricity from EVs that lack an AC outlet.
Vehicle-to-Home or Vehicle-to-Building (V2H or V2B). This system allows a home or building to be powered by an EV. It requires both a capable EV and bi-directional charging equipment that is linked to the building’s electrical system.
Vehicle to Grid (V2G). This system has tremendous potential as EVs increase and more medium and heavy-duty EVs come online. It requires: a capable EV, a managed program from the power utility, and certified bi-directional charging equipment. It essentially sends electricity back and forth between vehicles and the grid when they both benefit the most. EV drivers are incentivized through credits, payments, or lower rates for using electricity during off-peak times in exchange for adding power back to the grid when it is needed most.
Graphic by SACE.
Daily Benefits
Versatility. Combining EVs with bi-directional power systems changes the game for how we power both equipment and buildings. For workers and businesses that rely on plug-in power tools, the benefits are significant. An EV with V2L eliminates the need to haul and fuel a noisy, gas-powered generator. Instead, tools plug directly into the EV’s onboard outlets and pull electricity from the vehicle’s large battery.
Savings. Bi-directional capability can generate real savings as well. One can charge an EV when electricity is cheapest (on a time-of-use rate) and discharge it to an appliance, home, or building when it’s most expensive. It’s the ultimate ‘buy low, sell high’ model. These savings become even more dramatic when paired with rooftop or plug-in/balcony solar power.
Slashing Emissions. As explained in our previous article, unlike gasoline or diesel vehicles, all-electric vehicles don’t burn fuel, so there are no exhaust gases to vent — and no tailpipes. Communities where more EVs are driven are healthier because they’re not being exposed to as many unhealthy tailpipe pollutants. EVs are still significantly cleaner than gas or diesel cars, even when powered with electricity from a fossil-fuel power plant, slashing emissions by over 50% during their lifetime.
Resilience In Emergencies
Hurricanes and winter storms, aging infrastructure, and a dense tree canopy are all contributing factors to the Southeast being the most outage-affected region in the country by weather event count. As such, many Southerners have firsthand experience living without power in the wake of a serious weather event. And many have heard misinformation from the fossil fuel industry about owning an EV during an emergency situation. What most people don’t realize is that an EV isn’t just a car — it’s a portable battery on wheels, and that distinction can make all the difference when the lights go out. In emergencies, an EV’s ability to store and supply power makes it a safer, more versatile alternative to gas vehicles and generators.
Evacuation range. The Florida Division of Emergency Management recommends a hurricane evacuation plan of tens of miles rather than hundreds. With over 300 miles of range, the average EV can make the pre- and post-emergency trip. In discussing how his EVs support resilience during hurricanes, EV driver Charlie points out the functionality of both of his EVs. One model is a Tesla.
“It goes hundreds of miles on a single charge, so it would allow me to leave an evacuation zone without having to wait in line at a gas station. And if the evacuation caused a traffic jam (very likely), the gas cars would be sitting idling and uselessly burning up their gas, while my EVs would simply be stopped and not wasting any power.” Additionally, over 70% of Florida’s EV stations are built to withstand Category 4 hurricanes, and some include solar backups.
Lifesaving heat and cooling. EVs are safer than gas cars because they don’t generate poisonous fumes. So unlike a gas-powered car, EVs can be run in a garage without worry of toxicity. Many EV owners have used their EVs both to cool off when there is no power and to sleep in during ice storms when freezing temperatures can cause hypothermia.
Beneficial bidirectional power. Recounting his firsthand experience, Charlie said, “In 2017, Hurricane Irma knocked out the power grid. I connected an inverter to our Nissan Leaf, and it ran our:
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Lights
- Room fans
- Wifi
- TV
- and our computers
…for three and a half days! At that point, the utility company finally got the grid working, but the battery was only down to 48%. We could have easily run everything longer.” He also points out, “(my) EV is an older model from 2015 with a 24 kWh battery. Many new EVs have triple that capacity.” See Charlie’s YouTube video EV for Emergency Power for how he hooked up the inverter to his 2015 Nissan Leaf.
Safer than a gas generator. The same safety principles about running an EV in a garage apply to using an EV to power appliances. Charlie identified all the ways using their EV to power their home during an emergency was safer than dealing with a gas generator to power appliances, and meant that they did not have to:
- worry about deadly fumes
- listen to a noisy generator all day and night
- handle messy oil
- store flammable gasoline
- try to keep a gas engine running
- maintain a gas engine every few months
- or move a heavy generator
Thinking Beyond Wheels
Driving electric allows us to radically rethink what our vehicles are capable of.
Your electric car can keep cell phones charged, fans running, and food from perishing when the next hurricane knocks out the power.
An electric school bus can feed power to the grid, helping shield our communities from rolling blackouts during an ice storm.
An electric garbage truck can be charged during off-peak hours and run during times when electricity is most expensive, saving money for the city.
Your mobile pet groomer can run all their equipment from the vehicle, making your pooch sparkle without a noisy generator polluting your neighborhood.
And all of this can happen, in addition to the obvious act of moving people and goods around our communities, without generating polluting tailpipe gases. Imagine all this as the normal day-to-day integration of our transportation and power systems. Every EV purchase gets us closer to that reality.
Resources
Drive Electric Florida|EVs weathered the storm: How electric vehicles are helping during extreme weather events
Recharged|Bidirectional Charging EVs List for 2025: Models, Features, and Buying Guide
ABCs of EVs
Visit our ABCs of EVs page to discover why EVs are more affordable, better, and more convenient than their gas counterparts. Get real-world insights from our community of EV drivers, and explore our ABCs of EVs one-page guide with links to resources.
