V2H and V2G Explained: Can Your EV Power Your Home in Australia?
Quick Facts: V2H and V2G in Australia
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Your EV battery is probably the largest energy storage device in your home, and until recently, that energy only ever flowed one way.
Electricity went in. Nothing came out.
But in 2026, "bidirectional charging" has moved from future concept to working technology in Australia, and the standards finally caught up in August 2025 to make it grid-legal.
With petrol prices where they are and electricity bills rising, the idea of using your car's 60kWh-plus battery to power your home during peak periods, or keep the lights on during a blackout, is worth understanding properly.
Here's V2H and V2G explained, what's available in Australia right now, which cars support it, and whether the numbers make sense:
V2L, V2H, V2G, three different things
These three terms are often used interchangeably. They shouldn't be.
V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) is the simplest. Many newer EVs have a built-in AC outlet, often a standard Australian GPO, on the vehicle itself or via an adaptor. You plug appliances directly into the car: a camping fridge, power tools, a laptop. No home installation needed. The BYD Shark 6's 6.6kW V2L is already being used by tradies to run site equipment. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV9 both offer around 3.6kW V2L. This is available right now, on vehicles already in Australian driveways, with no additional hardware.
V2H (Vehicle-to-Home) goes a step further. Rather than powering individual appliances directly from the car, V2H powers your home's electrical circuits via a bidirectional wall charger connected to your switchboard. During a blackout, the car becomes your home's battery. During peak electricity price periods, your car discharges stored energy to reduce grid draw. This requires a compatible vehicle, a CEC-approved bidirectional charger, and in most cases an isolation switch so the house operates independently of the grid during outages.
V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) extends the concept again, your EV can export power not just into your home but out to the electricity network. In theory, this means earning export payments, like a very large solar system. In practice, V2G is in its earliest stages in Australia, it's legal, the standards exist, Ausgrid has approved the Numbat bidirectional charger for grid connection in NSW, but the retailer tariffs and Virtual Power Plant programs needed to make it financially rewarding are still limited.
What's actually available in Australia right now
The standards update in August 2025 (AS/NZS 4777.2 Amendment 2) was the moment bidirectional charging became genuinely grid-legal in Australia rather than a regulatory grey area. Since then, a small but growing list of CEC-approved bidirectional chargers has become available:
Numbat (V2Grid Australia): approved by Ausgrid for grid-connected V2G and V2H use in NSW. The most significant Australian-developed product in this space.
Wallbox Quasar 2: an 11.5kW bidirectional DC charger with built-in blackout mode. Compatible with the CCS2 standard and available in Australia now.
Ambibox DC Wallbox (RedEarth Energy Storage): a flexible bidirectional unit supporting both V2G and V2H, up to 22kW.
Installed cost for a bidirectional charger system typically runs $4,000 to $8,000, which compares favourably to a 10kWh home battery at $8,000 to $14,000 installed, particularly if you already own or are planning to buy a compatible EV.
Which EVs actually support it
This is where most guides fail you, they list the technology without telling you which Australian-market vehicles can actually use it.
Clear yes:
Nissan Leaf (2nd generation, 40kWh/62kWh), via CHAdeMO, around 6kW V2H. The most established V2H car in Australia, used extensively in the SA Power Networks V2G pilot.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, via CHAdeMO, around 6kW, with roughly 13.8kWh usable. Smaller battery, petrol engine backup.
Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Ioniq 9, CCS2 bidirectional, V2L confirmed, V2H capability with a compatible charger.
Kia EV6, EV9, same platform as the Hyundai models, same bidirectional capability.
CUPRA Born, V2H confirmed via a compatible bidirectional AC charger.
Not yet in Australia:
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, bidirectional flagged for a future software update, not available on Australian vehicles currently.
Most BYD models, not yet enabled for V2H or V2G in Australia despite large battery capacity. BYD's own bidirectional technology exists but hasn't been unlocked here yet.
Check before you buy: if V2H or V2G is a priority, confirm directly with the manufacturer that bidirectional charging is currently supported on the Australian-market variant, and get written warranty confirmation that discharging via V2H won't affect your battery warranty.
Does the maths work?
Australian researchers from Flinders, Adelaide and Murdoch universities published findings in April 2026 showing V2H can reduce household electricity costs by approximately 6.8% while reducing the need for a dedicated home battery.
The study used real Adelaide tariffs, weather data and household load profiles, finding V2H improved solar self-consumption and reduced grid reliance year-round, particularly in winter when solar output falls.
For a South Australian household, roughly matching the $1,600 to $2,300 a year the study itself was built around, a 6.8% reduction works out to somewhere between $110 and $155 a year, not a return that justifies an $8,000 installation on its own. The economics improve significantly when V2H is stacked with V2G export payments, solar self-consumption improvements, and blackout resilience value.
The clearest financial case is for households that already own a compatible EV (or are planning to buy one), have solar, and are considering a home battery, where a bidirectional charger at $4,000 to $8,000 installed replaces a separate home battery at $8,000 to $14,000 while adding V2H capability.
V2L vs V2H vs V2G Compared
V2L | V2H | V2G | |
What it does | Powers appliances directly from car | Powers home circuits from car | Exports to grid |
Hardware needed | None (built-in outlet or adaptor) | Bidirectional wall charger, $4,000-$8,000 | Bidirectional charger plus network approval |
Available in Australia | Yes, on many current EVs | Yes, on select vehicles with a CEC charger | Yes in principle, limited VPP programs |
Warranty risk | Low | Check with manufacturer | Check with manufacturer |
Best for | Camping, tradies, emergency power | Peak tariff reduction, blackout backup | Energy export income (emerging) |
Do This, Don't Do That
Do this if you haven't already: check whether your current EV has a V2L outlet. It's available now, requires no home installation, and is genuinely useful for camping and emergency power.
Do this if you're considering a home battery and own a compatible EV: run the numbers on a bidirectional charger first, the cost comparison strongly favours V2H over a standalone battery in that specific situation.
Don't do this: assume V2G will pay for itself soon. The standards and approvals are in place, but the retailer programs and VPP tariffs needed to make it financially compelling are still catching up.
V2H and V2G Explained : FAQs
What is the difference between V2L, V2H and V2G? V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) powers appliances directly from your EV via a built-in outlet, no home installation needed. V2H (Vehicle-to-Home) powers your home's circuits via a bidirectional wall charger. V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) goes further, allowing your EV to export power to the electricity network.
Is V2H available in Australia now? Yes, for vehicles that support bidirectional charging (Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Ioniq series, Kia EV6/EV9, CUPRA Born and others) with a CEC-approved bidirectional charger. The regulatory standard that enables grid-connected bidirectional charging in Australia, AS/NZS 4777.2 Amendment 2, was updated in August 2025.
Does using V2H void my EV warranty? It depends on the manufacturer. Nissan's warranty explicitly covers V2H via CHAdeMO. For most other brands, you should get written confirmation from the manufacturer before regularly discharging via V2H or V2G. This is a genuine, open question for several brands currently.
Can a Tesla Model Y do V2H in Australia? Not currently. Bidirectional charging for Tesla vehicles in Australia has been flagged as a future software update but is not available on current Australian-market vehicles. Check with Tesla for the latest status.
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