What Is V2L? How It Differs from V2H and V2G

V2L means vehicle-to-load. It lets a compatible electric vehicle use its battery to power devices you plug in, such as a fridge, a laptop or lights. V2H sends power to household circuits. V2G sends power back to the public electricity grid.

Imagine coming home to a power cut. You can connect a suitable fridge directly to the car with V2L. Keeping the kitchen’s existing sockets live calls for a home backup system. The battery is the energy source in both cases. Where the power goes changes the equipment you need.

1. V2L vs V2H vs V2G at a Glance

Bidirectional charging lets a compatible EV take in electricity and send stored energy back out through a supported charging system. V2L provides a way to draw power at the car. Some vehicles offer more than one of the following capabilities, so check each one for your model and market.

2. What Is V2L and How Does It Work?

The “load” is the device drawing power. With V2L, the vehicle battery supplies an AC socket. Some vehicles have one built in. Others provide it through an adapter that connects to the charge port. Check the owner’s manual for your model year, trim and country to find the supported connection and its output rating.

Output varies by vehicle, equipment and market. Hyundai UK lists up to 3.6 kW through the onboard 230 V socket of an equipped IONIQ 5. Kia’s US feature guide lists 1.9 kW maximum for an equipped 2026 EV6. It also describes an interior outlet and a charge-port connector. Check the outlet rating and the vehicle’s total limit when using both connections.

How EVB’s BCPP-A1M-16 charges the car and powers appliances

The EVB BCPP-A1M-16 is a portable AC charger with a V2L function. Change the connection at the plug end to switch between two uses.

• Charge the car from a mains socket. With the charging plug fitted, a suitable single-phase 230 V AC supply charges the car. On the European configuration, you can adjust the charging current within 8–16 A to suit the socket and circuit. Timed charging lets you schedule a session for later.
• Run plug-in devices from the car. Fit the matching V2L outlet assembly and connect to a vehicle that supports V2L through its charge port. The car’s battery supplies the power. The European configuration is rated for single-phase 230 V AC and 8 A discharge. For example, you can power a laptop and a light if their combined demand is within the ratings of both the vehicle and the equipment.

Charge the car
Mains socket → EVB unit → car
Adjustable charging current of 8–16 A

Power appliances with V2L
Car → EVB unit → V2L outlet → appliances
Rated discharge current of 8 A

EVB lists a total length of 7 m and an IP65 protection rating for this configuration. The datasheet lists safeguards for high or low voltage, overcurrent, current leakage, overheating, grounding and abnormal charging control signals. Before ordering, confirm that the mains plug suits your local socket and that the V2L outlet assembly is compatible with your vehicle.

An average load of 300 W for four hours uses 1.2 kWh at the outlet. Allow for conversion losses and the car’s own use. Set a discharge floor if the vehicle offers one, and keep enough charge for the next drive. Output can stop at that floor or when the system overheats. Follow the vehicle and appliance instructions, and use a dedicated supply for equipment that must run without interruption.

3. What Is V2H and When Can It Power a Home?

Vehicle-to-home routes energy from the car into the home’s electrical system. While the grid is available, a supported system can use stored energy to cover part of the home’s demand. For example, the vehicle can supply some of the evening load while it is parked.

Outage backup is a separate capability to confirm. During a power cut, the backup system must isolate the circuits it supplies from the public grid. Which circuits stay live depends on the installation and its output. Ask the installer to list those circuits and what can run together before counting on the system.

The hardware varies by vehicle. Some setups use a bidirectional charger and home integration equipment. A manufacturer may also approve a specific onboard outlet paired with a professionally installed transfer device. Follow the approved design for your vehicle. Never feed electricity back through an ordinary wall socket.

In the US, Tesla documents up to 11.5 kW for Cybertruck Powershare Home Backup. The installed charging equipment can limit that output. The vehicle must be connected and have enough charge above the set reserve. Tesla also notes a brief interruption may occur during changeover. Ask the installer whether existing solar panels or a home battery can operate with the car during an outage. Conventional grid-tied solar typically shuts down when grid power is lost.

See EVB’s vehicle-to-home guide for more on household backup and integration.

4. What Is V2G and Why Does Grid Export Matter?

Vehicle-to-grid exports electricity beyond the home or site to the public grid. For example, a participating utility may ask an enrolled vehicle or fleet to supply energy at a time of high demand. The export must follow local connection rules, and the available programmes depend on the utility or market.

One-way smart charging, sometimes called V1G, adjusts when or how quickly the vehicle takes electricity. With V2G, power can flow back across the site’s connection. If the car supplies 3 kW on the AC side while the house uses 2 kW, about 1 kW reaches the grid in this simplified example, assuming no other generation or storage and that export is allowed. If the house uses all 3 kW, the discharge covers local demand.

Real projects show why the vehicle’s schedule matters. In the UK’s Sciurus trial, 320 Nissan Leaf owners received Indra V2G chargepoints. The trial recorded charging at lower-cost times and export during peak periods in 2020. In a US trial reported by Con Edison in 2022, three retrofitted school buses supplied the grid when they were off their routes.

Check the local grid connection and programme requirements before planning export. Ask how energy is measured, how any payment is calculated and when the programme needs the vehicle plugged in. Verify home backup separately if you need it during an outage.

See EVB’s vehicle-to-grid guide for more on grid use.

5. How Do You Check Whether Your Car and Charger Work Together?

In an AC V2G system, the vehicle converts the battery’s DC power to grid-compatible AC. In a DC V2G system, equipment outside the vehicle handles that conversion. A plug that fits tells you the physical connection. Ask the supplier to confirm the exact vehicle, model year, software and equipment combination for the function you want.

ISO 15118-20 covers communication between the vehicle and charging equipment, including bidirectional transfer. OCPP connects the charging station to its management platform. Ask which functions the supplier has tested for that combination, including how it enforces the minimum charge and departure target. Read the vehicle’s written battery warranty for the intended use and market.

6. Which Mode Should You Look For?

• For portable devices: start with V2L. Check the outlet, the device’s running and starting demand, and the driving reserve.
• For sockets and fixed equipment at home: ask about V2H. Tell the installer which circuits you want to keep running and whether they need to work in a power cut.
• For exporting energy: start with your utility’s requirements. Confirm that the exact vehicle, charging equipment and site can participate.