How electric vehicles help keep the lights on with bidirectional charging during extreme weather events
You know how frustrating it can be if you’ve lost power for several days (or weeks). No running water and your internet, refrigerator, and other kitchen appliances are down – it’s complete darkness at night. Electric vehicles featuring large, powerful batteries and bidirectional charging capabilities are helping keep the lights as extreme weather events like hurricanes are on the rise.
Extreme weather events like hurricanes, wildfires, excessive cold or heat waves, and floods are increasing in frequency and intensity.
In the last 21 years, around 83% of major power outages have been attributed to weather-related occurrences, according to a recent report from the nonprofit group Climate Central.
The rising extreme weather simultaneously increases the demand for electricity while limiting the ability to supply it. Last year, weather-related disasters cost the US nearly $182 billion.
To limit this, the US and nations worldwide are deploying solutions, such as solar and wind energy with added battery storage, to stash energy for when it’s needed most.
However, until this technology is applied on a mass scale, electric vehicles offer another means of providing backup power. Automakers are introducing electric cars like the Nissan Leaf with bidirectional capabilities that send energy to and from the EVs battery.
Ford took it a step further, rolling out vehicle-to-home (V2H) capabilities, or what Ford calls Intelligent Backup Power. The Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup comes with up to 131 kWh of electric energy storage, which Ford claims is enough to power an average-sized home for up to 10 days.
Electric vehicles save the day after Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian made landfall after unexpectedly hooking into Florida’s southwestern coast on September 28, 2022, as a dangerous category 4 (almost 5) with wind speeds of 155 mph.
After swallowing up much of Florida, the death toll rose to over 100 while knocking out power for over 2.6 million residents, making it the deadliest storm in the state since 1935.
Some residents were spared, thanks to solar energy setups like Babcock Ranch, 12 miles outside of Fort Myers, that had running water, electricity, and internet.
However, other homeowners got creative, using their Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T as a source of backup energy supply.
A recent post from Bloomberg highlights the EV’s V2H capabilities as Westley and Sarah Ferguson, from Haines City, Florida, used their Ford electric pickup to power essentials.
The Fergusons ran two extension cords from outlets in their Ford Lightning, plugging one into the refrigerator and the second into a power strip. The setup, according to the article, was:
Good enough for them to cook beef stew on an electric stovetop and, afterward, to host another neighborhood couple for an impromptu movie night.
Although powering home essentials is not the first thing that comes to mind when buying a new car, it’s a significant benefit when needed. As Westley Ferguson explains:
You want to use it when you go camping or you’re having a tailgate. Those are the fun party tricks. You don’t really want it to be a lifeline to cook dinner or power lights. But it was definitely nice to have.
Christine Cannella, a Rivian R1T owner from Fort Myers, also used her electric pickup as a backup energy source after Hurricane Ian. Although Rivian EVs do not have V2H abilities like the Ford Lightning, Canella used the EVs outlets to make coffee and cook hot dogs on an electric grill.
One of the worst parts of losing power in Florida during the summer is the heat and humidity you can’t escape without AC. It not only makes it unbearable to humans but pets as well. Quickly thinking, Canella and her cockapoo would sleep in the back seat, turning on “pet comfort” mode for an escape.
Electrek’s Take
Add another benefit of owning an EV to the list. Electric vehicles are saving the day during natural disasters like hurricanes and floods.
This is not the first time people have used their EVs as powerful backup energy sources during disasters. For example, two Ford F-150 Lightning pickups were used as mobile power stations after heavy flooding in Kentucky to help get 10 to 15 families back in their homes per day.
The best part, the EVs used just hit the market in the past year. Imagine how much more advanced this technology will be in a few years. With hurricanes and other natural disasters on the rise, electric vehicles are proving to have added tools for the fight against climate change.
A common question as more car buyers consider an EV is, “What do you do when the power goes out?” This shows electric vehicles can be more resilient during blackouts than suggested.
Gasoline will only get you so far during disasters with extremely complicated supply chains and distribution networks. For example, gas stations were shut down after Hurricane Sandy because they couldn’t receive any supplies. However, EV owners could navigate to towns with power to charge their EVs.
Electric vehicles like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T prove to be more than just zero-emission rides. These powerful electric machines can keep the lights on, provide a means to cook food, and even host others who were not as fortunate during a blackout.
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More than 100,000 home batteries across California stepped up as a virtual power plant last week in a scheduled test event, and the results were impressive, according to new analysis from The Brattle Group.
Sunrun was the largest aggregator, Tesla was the largest OEM, and most of the batteries were enrolled
in California’s Demand-Side Grid Support (DSGS) program.
Sunrun’s distributed battery fleet delivered more than two-thirds of the energy during a scheduled two-hour grid support test on July 29. In total, the event pumped an average of 535 megawatts (MW) onto the grid – enough to power over half of San Francisco.
The event, run between 7 and 9 pm, was coordinated by the California Energy Commission, CAISO (California Independent System Operator), and utilities to prepare for stress on the grid during August and September heat waves. And it worked.
Sunrun alone averaged over 360 MW during the two-hour window. The batteries kicked in right when electricity demand typically spikes in the evening, acting just like a traditional power plant, but from people’s homes.
Brattle’s analysis found that the battery output made a visible dent in statewide grid load, when the power is needed most. “Performance was consistent across the event, without major fluctuations or any attrition,” said Ryan Hledik, a principal at The Brattle Group. He called it “dependable, planning-grade performance at scale.”
Residential batteries, Hledik explained, don’t just help shave off demand during critical hours; they can reduce the need for new power plants entirely. “They can serve CAISO’s net peak, reduce the need to invest in new generation capacity, and relieve strain on the system associated with the evening load ramp,” he said.
This isn’t a one-off. Sunrun’s fleet already helped drop peak demand earlier this summer, delivering 325 MW during a similar event on June 24. The company compensates customers up to $150 per battery per season for participating.
Sunrun CEO Mary Powell summed it up: “Distributed home batteries are a powerful and flexible resource that reliably delivers power to the grid at a moment’s notice, benefiting all households by preventing blackouts, alleviating peak demand, and reducing extreme price spikes.”
Read more: The US’s largest virtual power plant now runs on 75,000 home batteries
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Hyundai’s new Elexio electric SUV, which is built in China, could be sold in overseas markets. The CEO of Hyundai Australia calls it “a promising vehicle” that could help the company regain market share from Tesla, BYD, and others.
Will Hyundai’s new Elexio SUV be sold overseas?
The Elexio SUV is the first dedicated electric vehicle from Hyundai’s joint venture with BAIC in China, Beijing Hyundai.
After unveiling it for the first time in May, Hyundai is preparing to launch the new Elexio in China in the next few weeks.
According to a new report, Hyundai’s new electric SUV could be sold in overseas markets, including Australia. Don Romano, the CEO of Hyundai Australia, told journalists (via EV Central) last week during the launch event for the new IONIQ 9 that the company has done a “terrible job” with its EVs so far.
“And the only explanation for that is that we haven’t put enough focus into it,” he explained. However, Romano promises the automaker will do better.
Hyundai plans to boost marketing and support its dealership network, which only began selling IONIQ EV models a little over a year ago.
In what mostly went under the radar, Romano also suggested the new Elexio SUV could arrive in Australia. “It’s under evaluation now,” he said, adding, “it’s definitely a promising vehicle.”
Despite this, it may have a few hurdles to clear. Hyundai’s Australian boss explained, “I still have work to do to ensure that it’s the right vehicle in the right segment at the right price for our market. And I have not reached that level yet.”
Romano told journalists that a final decision needs to be made “in the next 60 to 90 days,” and to check back in three months when he will have a definitive answer.
Hyundai Australia is also looking to launch the IONIQ 2, a smaller, more affordable EV to sit between the Inster EV and Kona Electric.
Romano said, “It’s a potential opportunity,” but didn’t provide any details. He said, at this point, he’s just glad Hyundai is producing it. “Now I just need to get the details and find out, will it fit into our overall product plan and create enough demand to where it becomes a viable option for us? So my initial thought is absolutely. Yep.” Hyundai Australia’s boss told journalists.
The new EVs would help Hyundai, which has been struggling to keep pace in the transition to electric, compete in Australia and other overseas markets.
As of June 2025, Hyundai has sold only 853 EVs in Australia. In comparison, Tesla has sold 14,146 electric vehicles, and BYD has sold over 8,300. Even Kia is selling more EVs in Australia, with 4,402 units sold in the first six months of the year.
Measuring 4,615 mm in length, 1,875 mm in width, and 1,673 mm in height, Hyundai’s electric SUV is slightly smaller than the Tesla Model Y.
It recently underwent three consecutive crash tests among several other global evaluations, consistently outperforming benchmarks. Based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform that powers nearly all Hyundai and Kia EVs, the Elexio has a CLTC driving range of up to 435 miles (700 km)
Hyundai is set to launch it in China in the third quarter of 2025. Prices have yet to be announced, but it’s expected to start at around 140,000 yuan ($19,500).
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Time’s ticking for snagging a great EV lease deal. With the 25% tariff on imported EVs already in place and the federal tax credit disappearing on September 30, automakers are rolling out serious deals. If you’re thinking about going electric, now’s the moment. Here are some of the best August EV lease deals our friends at CarsDirect found.
2025 Honda Prologue lease from $159/month
Honda’s throwing down a wild lease deal on the 2025 Prologue if you’re in the right state. For a limited time, you can drive off in the all-electric SUV for the equivalent of just $200/month, but there’s a twist. Instead of monthly payments, Honda’s offering a rare One Pay Lease: you drop $4,800 upfront for a 24-month lease. That’s it. No monthly bills, and you save nearly 2% compared to standard rates.
If paying all at once isn’t in the cards, there’s still an option to pay $159/month for 24 months with $1,099 due at signing. Either way, the Prologue ranks among the cheapest new electric SUVs to lease right now.
There are some strings, though. These ultra-low prices are only available in California and other CARB states, and they include a $3,500 loyalty or conquest bonus, so you’ll need to be coming from a Honda lease or ready to ditch another brand.
These deals rely on the EV lease loophole to pass through the $7,500 tax credit. Once that disappears on September 30, expect prices to jump. At that point, buying might make more sense than leasing.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Honda Prologue in stock. –trusted affiliate link
2025 Volkswagen ID.4 lease from $129/month
Volkswagen just slashed the ID.4 lease – and it’s a big one. Right now, you can lease the 2025 ID.4 Pro RWD for just $129/month for 24 months with 10,000 miles a year. That works out to an effective cost of only $233/month, making it $264 less than it was before.
This isn’t just a good deal – it’s practically interest-free. The previous lease rate hovered around 1%, but now it’s basically 0%. On top of that, VW is stacking up to $9,250 in lease cash depending on which trim you pick. Even the base Pro RWD gets $7,500 in incentives. This deal only runs through August 31.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Volkswagen ID.4 in stock. –trusted affiliate link
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 lease from $149/month
Hyundai just dropped one of the best EV lease deals of the summer. The refreshed 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE Standard Range is going for $149/month for 36 months (10,000 miles a year) with $3,999 due at signing. That brings the effective monthly cost to just $260 – a nearly $100 drop from July’s offer. This deal is available through September 2.
If you’ve got little wiggle room in your budget, the SE Long Range might be worth the upgrade at $189/month with the same upfront cost – only $40 more a month for a lot more range.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Hyundai IONIQ 5 in stock. –trusted affiliate link
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 lease from $169/month
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 SE Standard Range is going for $169/month for 24 months (12,000 miles a year) with $3,999 due at signing. That pencils out to an effective cost of $336/month, and with the current lease cash, it’s a solid bargain.
Hyundai is offering up to $11,750 in lease cash on the IONIQ 6, plus an extra $1,000 Inventory Coupon if you lease a car that’s been sitting on the lot for 180+ days. That’s even more than July’s offer.
These offers are good through September 2, so if sleek, efficient, and affordable is your vibe, the IONIQ 6 is a solid choice.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Hyundai IONIQ 6 in stock. –trusted affiliate link
2025 Subaru Solterra lease from $279/month
The 2025 Subaru Solterra just became one of the most affordable EVs to lease. It’s going for $279/month for 36 months with just $279 due at signing. That brings the effective monthly cost to just $287, an incredible deal for an all-electric SUV with an MSRP pushing $40,000.
To put it in perspective: the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid has an effective monthly cost of $486. So yeah, the Solterra wins this round. This offer’s available through September 2.
Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Subaru Solterra in stock. –trusted affiliate link
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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