V2G and Vehicle-to-Home Charging Explained: What UK EV Owners Need to Know

Your EV Could Power Your Home — Here's How

Most home EV chargers work in one direction: electricity flows from the grid to your car. But a new generation of bidirectional chargers can reverse that flow — pulling energy from your EV's battery to power your home (Vehicle-to-Home, or V2H) or feed it back into the national grid (Vehicle-to-Grid, or V2G).

The concept is simple: your EV battery is enormous — a Tesla Model 3 has 60kWh of storage, which is enough to power an average UK home for two full days. Instead of that energy sitting idle in your driveway, bidirectional charging lets you use it when you need it.

This is no longer a futuristic concept. The technology exists, UK regulations now support it, and the first products are arriving. Here's what you need to know.

V2H vs V2G: What's the Difference?

Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) sends energy from your EV battery to your home's electrical system. During a power cut, your EV becomes a giant backup battery. During peak electricity pricing hours, you can run your home off your car instead of paying peak grid rates.

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) goes further: it sends energy from your EV back into the national grid, and you get paid for it. Energy companies buy your stored electricity when demand is high, then you recharge cheaply overnight when demand is low.

Both require a bidirectional charger — a standard home wallbox cannot do this.

What Changed in the UK in 2025

In March 2025, the UK government made V2G functionality mandatory for all new commercial charge point installations rated above 22kW. This doesn't directly affect home chargers, but it sends a clear signal: the government is building V2G into the UK's energy infrastructure.

Several energy companies are now piloting V2G tariffs. The most notable is Octopus Energy's Power Pack — a V2G tariff that effectively pays you to let Octopus use your EV battery as grid storage. Early participants have reported earning enough credits to cover their home electricity costs entirely, making EV ownership effectively free to run.

What Hardware Is Available?

Wallbox Quasar 2

The Wallbox Quasar 2 is the most high-profile bidirectional home charger headed to the UK. Key details:

• Price: ~£6,100 (plus installation) — this is premium hardware
• Power: Up to 11.5kW bidirectional DC charging
• Compatible EVs: Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 5/6, Cupra Born (more expected)
• UK availability: European rollout began Q4 2025; UK launch date TBC but expected in 2026

The Quasar 2 is a DC charger, which means it bypasses the car's onboard AC charger and communicates directly with the battery. This enables bidirectional flow but also limits compatibility to specific vehicle models that support CCS bidirectional communication.

NexBlue Point 2 (V2G-Ready)

The NexBlue Point 2 is not bidirectional today, but it is ISO 15118 and V2G-ready — meaning it has the communication protocols built in and could support V2G via a firmware update when the UK's V2G ecosystem matures. At ~£530, it is dramatically cheaper than the Quasar 2 and a sensible hedge for buyers who want to be ready for V2G without paying a premium now.

Zaptec Go 2 (V2G-Ready)

The Zaptec Go 2 is similarly ISO 15118 compliant and V2G-ready. At £707 it costs more than the NexBlue but comes from a more established brand with a larger install base.

Which EVs Support Bidirectional Charging?

Not all EVs can send power back. The vehicle itself needs to support bidirectional DC charging via CCS. As of early 2026, confirmed compatible vehicles include:

• Kia EV9 — the first mass-market V2H car in the UK
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 — via Hyundai's V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) system
• Cupra Born (77kWh version)
• Nissan Leaf (via CHAdeMO, with the original Wallbox Quasar)
• MG ZS EV — V2L capable

Tesla does not currently support V2G or V2H through third-party chargers. Tesla's Powerwall is their preferred solution for home energy storage. This may change in the future, but for now, Tesla owners looking for home battery backup should consider a dedicated home battery rather than V2H.

Is It Worth It Right Now?

For most UK EV owners: not yet. Here's why:

1. Cost: The Wallbox Quasar 2 costs ~£6,100 before installation — more than 5x the price of a standard home charger. The payback period on energy savings alone is very long.
2. Vehicle compatibility: Only a handful of EVs currently support bidirectional DC charging. Tesla vehicles are not compatible.
3. Limited tariff options: V2G tariffs like Octopus Power Pack exist but are still in pilot phase with limited availability.

What you can do now

If you are buying a new charger today and want to be ready for V2G when it matures, consider a V2G-ready charger like the NexBlue Point 2 or Zaptec Go 2. These chargers have the ISO 15118 communication protocols built in and could potentially support V2G through future firmware updates — at a fraction of the cost of a bidirectional DC charger.

For now, the most cost-effective way to use your EV as a home energy asset is to pair a standard smart charger with a solar installation and an off-peak tariff. Our solar charger guide covers the best options.

What's Coming Next

The V2G landscape in the UK is moving quickly:

• More vehicle manufacturers are adding bidirectional support
• Octopus Energy's Power Pack V2G tariff is expanding
• The government's 2025 mandate for commercial V2G will drive infrastructure investment
• Charger prices will fall as competition increases

By 2027–2028, V2G could be a standard feature of mainstream home EV chargers. For now, it's a technology to watch — and to prepare for with V2G-ready hardware if you're buying a new charger today.

Compare V2G-ready chargers → | Best EV tariffs in the UK →