Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y can be a backup battery for your house
Tesla is expanding Powershare Home Backup to some Model 3 and Model Y owners, allowing their cars to supply electricity to a home during a power outage. The feature could extend household backup power, though it depends on compatible equipment and is currently limited to certain vehicles and locations.
Tesla says Premium and Performance versions of the Model 3 and Model Y can provide over two days of backup power, compared with over three days for the Cybertruck. The feature requires a Powerwall 3; support for Powerwall 2 and Powerwall Plus is expected soon. Tesla guarantees compatibility only for Model 3 and Model Y vehicles ordered from 1 October onwards, because some older cars lack the required PCS2 Lite inverter. Availability is listed for the US and Puerto Rico, while Powershare Grid Support remains Cybertruck-only.
- Some Model 3 and Model Y cars can power a home during outages.
- Tesla claims over two days of backup for Premium and Performance models.
- The feature requires a Powerwall 3 and a compatible vehicle.
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Tesla is expanding a feature called Powershare Home Backup that lets owners of certain Model 3 and Model Y cars use their vehicle's battery to supply electricity to their homes during a power cut. The cars draw power from the large battery pack that normally powers the electric motor and redirect it to the household.
The feature requires compatible equipment, particularly a Tesla Powerwall 3 battery system installed at your home, with support for older Powerwall models coming soon. Currently, only the Premium and Performance versions of the Model 3 and Model Y are eligible, and only if they were ordered from 1 October onwards, because earlier vehicles lack the necessary electrical components for this capability.
Power cuts can leave households without heating, cooling or access to appliances for hours or days, making backup power systems valuable for many homes. Because electric cars contain large batteries and are increasingly common, using them as household power backup offers a practical way to get additional value from the vehicle you already own.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Vehicle-to-home technology represents meaningful progress in household energy resilience by converting existing EV investments into practical backup capability during outages. Expanding this feature incentivises further EV adoption whilst providing real, tangible protection that genuinely enhances household energy independence and resilience. As the technology matures and infrastructure becomes more accessible, this distributed approach to power management could substantially strengthen overall energy system resilience.
The case against
Whilst innovative, this solution concentrates benefits among affluent households with compatible equipment and new vehicle purchases, creating an inequitable two-tier resilience system. More broadly, resources dedicated to distributed vehicle backup might more effectively address grid resilience through direct infrastructure investment, which would benefit all households regardless of purchasing power or vehicle ownership. Promoting vehicle-to-home as a resilience solution risks delaying systemic investments that would more comprehensively secure energy security for everyone.