Cómo usar la energía de vehículos eléctricos durante apagones

While Kiwis have generally experienced reliable power networks, recent extreme weather events and natural disasters across New Zealand have highlighted the importance of backup power solutions. The invention of electric vehicles has been one of the most significant technological advancements of this century, but many New Zealanders don’t realise these vehicles can do much more than provide transportation.

Powering your Home During Blackouts With your Electric Vehicles

Blackouts or power outages are not only a huge inconvenience but also disrupt your day-to-day life by taking basic communication or environmental appliances away from you. It affects several communities at once, demanding a swift restoration of services. Imagine waking up in the morning and finding out you can’t get your coffee because of a blackout. This is why having an alternate power source is always a good idea, especially if an emergency occurs. An available electric vehicle can provide backup power. And that source can very well be sitting in your garage already.

EVs or electric vehicles are an emerging source of reliable power backups thanks to the utilisation of bi-directional charging. It enables energy to flow from your electric vehicle to the power grid, home, or devices through bidirectional EV charging. Bidirectional chargers allow some EVs to come equipped with V2L, V2H, or V2G capabilities.

V2L: V2L or vehicle-to-load technology allows your vehicle to connect and supply power directly to the devices and appliances of your choice.

V2H: V2H, also called vehicle-to-home, connects your vehicle directly to your home’s electrical system, distributing power throughout the connection.

V2G: Whereas V2G is called vehicle-to-grid and takes it one step further, connecting your car directly to the power grid, distributing it over a larger area. V2G offers a solution for the main power grid during peak demand.

In this guide, we’ll focus on the V2L technology as it offers reliability during emergencies. If you’re trying to get access to your communication devices or just want to turn the cooling back on for a few hours during a particularly hot day, V2L charging is essential. So stick around, especially if you own an electric car or are considering buying one.

Understanding Bidirectional Charging Technology

Before we jump into V2L, let’s take a quick look at what bidirectional EV charging is and how it operates. As the name suggests, this charging technology allows power to move in both directions when connected to an outlet. The bidirectional EV charger is a pivotal piece in this system. This enables your vehicle to both send and receive power, turning it into a power bank for your house. Bidirectional charging requires compatible systems.

Bidirectional charging priorities have made V2L, V2G, and V2H accessible for users. This technology is increasingly available and is provided by a number of manufacturers. Amongst these types, the V2L is the most accessible form of charging and allows the everyday user to get the most out of their investments.

Cars with V2L capabilities come equipped with a built-in inverter and a power outlet, allowing users to plug in appliances and devices, powering them directly from their car. Unfortunately, not all electric vehicles come with this functionality. However, some of the higher-end models do have it, provided by leading automakers. Automakers are increasingly offering bidirectional charging features in their EVs.

EVs With V2L Capabilities

  • Hyundai Ioniq 5: A mid-range SUV comes with impressive V2L capabilities, enabling it to power devices with a max load of 3.6kW and making it one of the pioneers in V2L tech.

  • Kia EV9: The EV9 takes a more sleek approach, providing a high-performance EV equipped with rear and interior outlets, making it a perfect partner for road trips.

  • Tesla Cybertruck: When the Cybertruck came out, there was nothing like it on the market, and if you look at its V2L capabilities, there still isn’t, as it comes with a 9.6kW output.

  • Chevrolet Silverado EV: The Silverado isn’t your typical cargo hauler as it comes complete with a PowerBase charger, provided to maximise utility. This enables it to have 10 outlets capable of 7.2kW of V2L power. The Silverado’s charging port supports external devices, enhancing its utility.

  • Cadillac Lyriq: Built for people who enjoy the finer things in life, this luxury SUV has both V2L and V2H capabilities.

How Does V2L Work?

But why doesn’t every EV work as a power bank? Isn’t it just turning the flow of current in the opposite direction? Well, to do that, your vehicle will need:

Bidirectional Inverter: This is needed to convert the DC power running in the car’s battery into usable AC electricity.

V2L-compatible Outlets: The outlets are necessary for safely plugging devices into your car without damaging them or the car batteries.

Battery Capacity: Enough storage space in your car’s battery to be used over extended time periods.

Benefits of Using your EV as a Home Power Source

Taking the obvious convenience out of the equation, the benefits of turning your car into a home power source are much more cost-effective and eco-friendly to keep your home up and running during emergencies. Especially when considering how long a power outage lasts sometimes in more remote parts of New Zealand, here’s what you need to know:

Reliability: Oftentimes, power outages occur because of natural disasters, such as storms or quakes. The impact is far-reaching. This is why having a V2L EV as a backup generator can keep all your essentials running.

Energy Independence: With a V2L-enabled EV, the quality of your entertainment is enhanced significantly, thanks to effective load management through stored power. This is most apparent during camping trips to popular New Zealand destinations where you can have energy backup wherever you go.

Cost Saving: Having your car work as the power backup for your home can cut down the costs of running a noisy generator and can also help you save quite a bit of money over running and upkeep costs that come with a fuel-powered generator for house.

Limitations and Considerations

But even with a V2L, there are a few limitations and considerations that you need to keep in mind when turning your car into a power bank. Let’s take a look at some of them:

Power Capacity: Unlike dedicated generators, a V2L cannot power up your house and has very strict output limits. This means that although you can power essentials like your routers and lights, you cannot run demanding appliances beyond a certain load.

Risk of Battery Depletion: One of the most common uses of a V2L is that of a backup source in case of emergencies. However, if your EV’s battery runs out during one such emergency, you’d be left with no essentials and no transportation.

Setting Up your EV for Home Power

Now that we’ve gotten all the considerations out of the way and you’ve decided to hook up some of your appliances to your V2L just to check how it works, here’s what to do in a power outage:

Before getting started with the setup, here are a few precautions to keep in mind:

  • Make sure to check the wattage limit before plugging in your appliances, and make sure it’s supported.

  • Keep your garage well-ventilated to keep the batteries from overheating.

  • Ensure you have a surge protector installed to protect your car and appliances.

Step-by-step Guide

Finally, you’re ready to hook your devices up. It is a very straightforward process as well because all you have to do is:

  1. Check up on your battery levels.

  2. Locate the V2L adapter or outlet in your car.

  3. Plug your devices or extension cords into the outlet.

  4. Monitor battery usage to make sure you keep it above certain levels to use in case of emergencies.

  5. Regular software updates ensure compatibility with new electric appliances.

  6. Unplug the appliances before using your car as transportation.

And that’s all there is to it! Now, you can finally get back to your daily activities without worrying about the blackout.

Real-World Applications in New Zealand

No one wants to imagine being in the middle of a natural disaster. However, it’s always better to have something than not need it than to need it and not have it. While New Zealand has fewer extreme weather events than some countries, recent cyclones and earthquakes have shown the importance of backup power solutions.

During these trying times, Kat Hickey, a resident of north Brisbane, used their BYD Atto 3 equipped with a V2L to power their household necessities like phone and laptop chargers and refrigerator, essentially turning her place into a smart home.

Similarly, Matt McLaughlin from Gold Coast Hinterland used the 3 EVs owned by his family as home power outage solutions during the cyclone. This goes to show how much investing smartly in a multi-purpose car can help you out during unforeseen emergencies. It also offers an effective plan for energy management using your vehicle’s battery stored power.

In New Zealand, where the adoption of EVs continues to grow and the government has introduced incentives to promote electric vehicle usage, these functionalities become increasingly valuable as part of our transition to more sustainable energy solutions.

Future of EV Power Integration with Smart Homes

Electric vehicles have just made their way to the consumer market and will only get better as technology improves. Bidirectional charging technology will significantly impact the state of energy consumption. Here are a few things that are already in the works:

V2H: Will allow users to power their entire homes with a singular backup in the form of your EV.

Smart Energy Management: Al implementation with V2L technology will allow for better optimisation of energy management between your car and appliances.

Integration with Smart Homes: Integration with smart home systems thanks to smart home apps and automated energy use based on grid demand and real-time prices.

Energy Efficiency Initiatives

Energy Star® Certification: HP, thanks to its commitment to efficient energy, has been recognised by the governing authority at Energy Star, setting for the certification due to meeting most of the standards.

Sustainable Products: When designing new products, the biggest focus is on sustainability, ensuring that each product is efficient in its processing and comes with reduced environmental impacts.

Conclusion

As EVs continue to evolve beyond being merely transportation, technologies like the V2L have been the game-changer for power grid resilience and offering a reliable power source for your home during emergencies. For New Zealanders particularly in rural or storm-prone areas, this functionality provides peace of mind during increasingly unpredictable weather events.

As this technology continues to evolve, companies like HP are making sure that your home tech keeps up with it. From driving innovation in smart home integrations to seamless household optimisations, their products can help support your energy goals. To learn more about how they can achieve that, visit HP and take a look at how we can achieve a more connected, sustainable future.

For more information about smart home technology and energy efficiency, explore our collection of HP Tech Takes articles designed specifically for New Zealand consumers.