Puget Sound Energy and ChargeScape have announced testing of new vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology enabling electric vehicles to power homes during power outages, together with partners Ford, Kia and Wallbox. This innovative demonstration will enable participants with bidirectional capable electric vehicles, initially including the Ford F-150 Lightning and Kia EV9 models, to use their vehicle batteries as backup power sources for their homes while simultaneously supporting grid reliability during peak demand periods. The demonstration, which was launched last month, represents a significant milestone in ensuring reliable electricity and reflects PSE's commitment to exploring cutting-edge solutions that benefit both customers and the broader electrical grid.
The V2H technology allows participating customers to: Maintain power during outages with electricity from their EV battery; Reduce energy costs by storing cheaper off-peak electricity in their EV batteries, and discharging electricity from their battery to power their home during more expensive peak periods; Help improve reliability in the community during high-stress times for the grid. ChargeScape, the automaker-backed vehicle-grid integration platform, brings proven experience managing EV charging programs across millions of households nationwide. The company's platform officially connects original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with power utilities through secure, industry-standard protocols.
The timing of this demonstration addresses growing regional energy challenges, including: Rising energy costs during peak demand periods; Increased frequency of weather-related power outages; Growing pressure to integrate more renewable energy sources; Need for flexible grid resources to maintain system reliability. The demonstration will test two primary use cases: time-of-use optimization, where EVs discharge energy to the home during daily peak pricing periods for bill savings, and demand response events, where PSE can call upon the EVs to reduce grid stress during high-demand situations. This initiative aligns with PSE's broader commitment to clean energy transformation and grid modernization.
By leveraging EV batteries as distributed energy storage, the program maximizes the value of clean transportation investments while supporting regional decarbonization goals. The demonstration will provide critical data on technology integrations, interconnection processes, customer experience, and grid and billing impacts ? insights that will inform future expansion of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) programs across PSE's service territory.
The collaboration leverages ChargeScape's established relationships with major automakers including Ford, BMW, Honda, Stellantis, Tesla, and Nissan, along with charging infrastructure providers. Initial enrollment will focus on PSE employees with compatible bidirectional EVs, with comprehensive support provided for interconnection applications and ongoing program participation. PSE looks forward to evolving this demonstration into a full-fledged program, possibly enabling more customers to join as soon as 2027.
