What V2L, V2H and V2G actually do
Three different ideas with confusingly similar names. One is available now and genuinely useful; one needs hardware; one needs a tariff.
Three acronyms, one underlying idea — a car battery is a large store of energy, and energy can flow out as well as in. What differs is where it flows to.
V2L — vehicle to load
Power appliances directly from the car. Usually a domestic socket in the boot or an adapter on the charge port.
This is the one that exists today, works with no extra infrastructure, and is quietly excellent. A mid-size EV holds more energy than a very large portable generator, and it is silent.
Genuinely useful for: camping, outdoor work, garden tools, an electric cool box, keeping a fridge and a router going during a power cut.
Typical output is 2–3.6 kW, which covers most household appliances but not an electric shower.
V2H — vehicle to home
Power your house from the car, through your consumer unit.
Requires a bidirectional charger and an installation that can safely isolate your home from the grid — you must not back-feed a network someone may be working on. That is not a DIY concern; it is why the hardware and the install cost more.
The appeal is backup during outages, and shifting cheap overnight energy into expensive evening hours.
V2G — vehicle to grid
Sell energy back to the grid when it is worth more than you paid.
Needs bidirectional hardware, a supporting tariff, and a car that supports the protocol. The economics are genuinely interesting where all three line up, and irrelevant where they do not.
The open question is battery wear: you are adding cycles for money. Whether that trade is good depends on the rate and on your warranty terms.
What to check before buying on this basis
Is V2L standard or optional? Frequently optional, and the adapter is sometimes extra.
What is the output? 2 kW and 3.6 kW are quite different in what they will run.
Does the warranty cover it? Ask specifically about V2G, which adds cycles.
Does your market have the tariffs? V2G without a supporting tariff is hardware you cannot use.
The honest summary
V2L is available now and worth having. V2H is a real product with a real installation cost. V2G is promising and still niche. Buy the car for what it does today; treat V2G as a bonus if it arrives.
In pictures
Common questions
Does using V2L damage the battery?
It is a discharge cycle like any other. Occasional use is negligible against a pack designed for hundreds of full cycles.
About the author
ElectraMile EditorialEditorial desk
The ElectraMile editorial team covers charging, running costs and EV ownership for readers in the UK and US.
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Figures shown for United Kingdom in GBP. Switch market in the header to see local pricing and terminology.
