Power outages are becoming more frequent as storms strain aging electrical grids across the country. Automakers have begun building bidirectional charging into new electric trucks and SUVs, letting the battery push electricity back into a house instead of only pulling it in. Here are ten electric vehicles that can act as a backup generator when the power fails.
1. Ford F-150 Lightning: Days Of Backup Power
Paired with the 80-amp Ford Charge Station Pro and Ford Intelligent Backup Power, the F-150 Lightning automatically switches a home onto truck power within seconds of a blackout. Ford says the setup can cover a typical household’s electrical needs for three to ten days on a full charge, depending on battery size and home draw.
That range turns the truck into a fuel-free backup generator, running the refrigerator, well pump and HVAC while crews restore the grid. The catch is the home still needs an electrician to install a compatible transfer switch before Intelligent Backup Power will function.
2. Chevrolet Silverado EV: Eleven Outlets, One Truck
The Silverado EV can export up to 10.2 kW of power across as many as 11 outlets, enough to run job-site tools or an entire house at once. Paired with the GM Energy PowerShift Charger and a Vehicle-to-Home Enablement Kit, the truck feeds a home’s electrical panel directly during a blackout.
Chevrolet built the outlets into the bed and cab so owners can tap power without any hookup at all for smaller loads. The whole-home setup still requires professional installation of a transfer switch tied to the PowerShift hardware.
3. GMC Sierra EV: Higher Wattage, Longer Runway
GMC’s available Energy Transfer Pro package pushes the Sierra EV’s off-boarding power to 10.2 kW, well above the 7.2 kW ceiling on the standard Energy Transfer setup. That gap makes the Pro package the one to specify for owners planning to run a house rather than just tools.
At the higher output, the Sierra EV can carry larger loads like a central air conditioner alongside the essentials. GMC routes the power through the same Vehicle-to-Home hardware shared with Chevrolet and Cadillac’s electric trucks and SUVs.
4. GMC Hummer EV SUV: A Battery Big Enough
GMC says a Vehicle-to-Home-capable Hummer EV SUV can power a properly equipped home during a blackout, drawing on one of the largest battery packs in the segment. The size of that pack, north of 200 kWh in top trims, gives it a longer runway than most rivals on this list before a recharge is needed.
Owners still need the GM Energy hardware and a licensed electrician’s transfer-switch install before the SUV can feed the panel. Off-road buyers drawn to the Hummer’s size get the backup-power capability as a byproduct rather than the main sales pitch.
5. Cadillac Escalade IQ: Luxury With A Backup Plan
Cadillac calls the Escalade IQ V2H-capable: with a GM Energy PowerShift Charger and V2H Enablement Kit installed, its battery supplies a properly equipped home when the grid drops. The Escalade IQ’s three-row size and luxury positioning make it an outlier among backup-power vehicles, most of which are trucks.
The same battery that hauls a family and cargo becomes a stationary power source once parked and plugged in at home. Cadillac uses the identical PowerShift and enablement hardware across its GM Energy-badged EVs, so installation looks the same as on the Lyriq or Silverado EV.
6. Cadillac Lyriq: Entry Point Into V2H
Cadillac lists the Lyriq as Vehicle-to-Home compatible, giving the smaller crossover the same blackout-power option as its larger Escalade IQ sibling. Rear-drive models carry an EPA-estimated 326 miles of range, leaving a deep reserve for home backup even after a normal week of driving.
Because the Lyriq starts well below the Escalade IQ’s price, it puts V2H-capable backup power within reach of buyers who don’t need a three-row SUV. The setup still runs through GM Energy’s PowerShift Charger and enablement kit rather than a built-in outlet.
7. Kia EV9: A Big Battery, Ready
Kia says the EV9 supports vehicle-to-home backup power, reversing energy flow out of its available 99.8 kWh battery to run devices and certain appliances in a properly equipped home. That battery is among the largest offered in a three-row electric SUV, giving the EV9 real reserve capacity beyond daily driving.
The system works alongside Kia’s broader vehicle-to-load feature, which lets the EV9 power tools or camping gear straight from an onboard outlet. Homeowners still need compatible backup hardware installed before the SUV can feed a house’s circuits.
8. Hyundai Ioniq 5: Backup Power, Smaller Scale
The Ioniq 5’s Vehicle-to-Load system runs appliances drawing under 16 amps through a household-style outlet, and it cuts power automatically once the battery hits its 20% discharge limit. That built-in floor protects range for driving even if an owner leans on the car during an extended outage.
Because V2L works through an adapter rather than a whole-home transfer switch, it suits smaller loads like a fridge, medical device or space heater rather than an entire house at once. It’s a lower-cost entry point into backup power than the full V2H systems on GM’s trucks.
9. Nissan Leaf: Affordable Emergency Power
Nissan’s Vehicle-to-Load feature pushes up to 1,500 watts through three 120-volt household outlets, and the company says the Leaf can serve as an emergency power source for essentials such as a refrigerator. That output is modest next to the trucks on this list but comes in one of the most affordable EVs on sale.
The Leaf’s smaller battery limits how long it can carry a load compared with a full-size pickup, but it still turns a compact hatchback into an emergency outlet. No dedicated transfer switch is required for the basic outlet-level backup.
10. Tesla Model Y Premium: Late To Vehicle-To-Home
Tesla turned on vehicle-to-load for the Model Y Premium in August 2026, enabling 2.4 kW of output at 120 volts and 20 amps. Owners reach it through an $80 adapter that clips onto the Gen 3 Mobile Connector rather than a built-in outlet.
The feature arrived years after rivals like Ford and Hyundai already offered onboard backup power, making Tesla a late addition to the vehicle-to-home category. At 2.4 kW, the setup suits essentials rather than a whole house, closer to Nissan’s Leaf than to GM’s larger trucks.
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