Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y can be a backup battery for your house

Some Tesla Model 3 and Model Y owners can use their EV battery to keep the lights on longer during a power outage, now that Tesla’s expanding the Powershare Home Backup feature. It was previously only available on the Cybertruck, and also requires owning Tesla’s Powerwall 3. However, support for the Powerwall 2 and Powerwall Plus is “coming soon.” Tesla’s EVs aren’t the first or only ones with bidirectional charging; companies like Kia and GM also offer vehicle-to-home power on their vehicles, while Nissan’s Leaf offered power-to-grid charging years ago.

Tesla says the Model 3 and Model Y can extend home backup power to over two days for Premium and Performance models, which is shorter than the “over three days” Tesla claims you can get from the Cybertruck’s battery.

As Electrek points out, Tesla is only guaranteeing Home Backup will work on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles ordered from October 1st onward because not all older models include the PCS2 Lite inverter required to make it all work. So far, the feature is also only mentioned as available in the US and Puerto Rico, but not Canada, and not for the larger Model S or Model X. Tesla’s Powershare Grid Support feature is also still exclusive to the Cybertruck.