When will EVS power our homes

Electric Vechiles powering our homes took a big step forward in December of 2024. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging finally cleared a major regulatory hurdle.

Pretty soon your next car could become the biggest battery in your house, capable of powering your home. With solar on the roof and an EV in the carport the V2G is the missing puzzle piece to make the home fully energy-independent.

Chris Bowan says the chargers are going to be available by Christmas

So we probably aren't going to find many V2G EV chargers under Christmas trees this year, but it's good news, the chargers are imminent.

Standards Australia has approved the technical standards for V2G chargers, paving the way for certification by the Clean Energy Council. Though the actual charging industry are pointing to mid-2025 for widespread availability.

On top of that, though, there's only a handful of cars that can support V2G at the moment.

V2G is the technology that could unlock a whole new world of renewables

Why is this important?

Think of V2G as unlocking your electric vehicle's real potential - the ability to not just store energy, but to use it at anytime to power your home. If you already have solar on the roof this could be a game changer.

Your EV's battery isn't just for driving anymore - it becomes part of your home's energy system, capable of:

• Storing excess solar power during the day

• Powering your home during expensive peak periods

• Sending energy back to the grid when prices are high

• Providing backup power during outages

The ABC recently reported on an early adopter in Adelaide who's already using this technology with his Nissan Leaf.

His setup demonstrates the impressive potential of V2G - the car's 50 kilowatt-hour battery (that's 5-10 times larger than a typical home battery) acts like a giant power bank, soaking up solar energy during the day and either powering his home or exporting to the grid in the evening when electricity prices peak.

The homeowner is reporting he's earning $1000 a year by exporting power to the grid.

Exporting back to the grid or using the power for your own home

$1000 is really just the start, optimising an EV battery to power the home and the most expensive times could be a huge cost saver.

• The EV Council estimates potential savings of around $2,000 a year on energy bills

• Some reports suggests that in perfect conditions, V2G could earn EV owners up to $12,000 annually

For cost, while the first generation of V2G chargers cost around $15,000, industry experts predict prices will eventually drop to around $1,000 - similar to a standard solar inverter. We're already seeing movement in this space as well.

Queensland-based RedEarth is partnering with German company ambibox to manufacture V2G chargers in QLD. The upfront cost of V2G charger is expected to be half price of the first-generation chargers.

There are only a handful of vehicles available for V2G so far...

Currently, the EVs that support, or are preparing to support, V2G in Australia are:

• Kia EV9

• Polestar 3 (confirmed for V2G by second half of 2025)

• Cupra Born

• Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 (arriving December)

• More manufacturers are expected to enable V2G once certified chargers hit the market

There are also a few technical hurdles to overcome when thinking about getting a V2G charger installed, primarily because your local service provider will still need to approve the charger connection (similar to solar and battery installations).

Into the 2030s EVs could change everything

The potential impact of V2G is massive. By the early 2030s, EV battery capacity could surpass all other forms of storage in Australia - including Snowy 2.0 - at a fraction of the cost. Just like we've seen with heat pumps, this technology could become another game-changer for home energy efficiency.