Can you use EV as backup power? Yes, you can, but in the long run, it’s better to use a fixed system with a backup generator to preserve your EV battery.
Welcome to our series answering reader questions and concerns about how to cut the utility-company cord.
I’m intrigued by the potential for an electric vehicle, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning, to act as my home’s backup battery. How does using an EV like a generator work, and is it a good option?
Kenneth, Missouri
People often confuse battery-backup systems with generators. Whether a battery system is “fixed,” meaning it’s essentially attached to your home, or “mobile,” including those housed in either electric vehicles or tag-along roller cases, they aren’t true generators. Battery-backup companies do sometimes use the term as a misleading marketing strategy, but according to the U.S. Department of Energy, a generator is a device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. Diesel generators, gas turbines, wind turbines, and hydroelectric generators all fit the bill.
That’s my way of responding to part of your question: Your electric vehicle can be used as an energy-storage system, not as a generator.
The first time I heard the notion of using an electric vehicle as a source of backup power, it struck me as a good idea. Batteries are expensive, so if you already have a high-priced one in your truck, why not use it to back up your home during an outage?
Quite a few EV manufacturers now offer what’s called vehicle-to-home, or V2H, functionality: Nissan Leaf, Kia EV9, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and Cadillac Escalade IQ, to name a few. I’ve looked into both the Tesla Cybertruck and the Ford F-150 Lightning. Each company requires you to install a special interconnection between your truck and your house that’s only compatible with that particular model. After the interconnection is installed and your truck is plugged in, you can set the backup power function to automatically kick in during an outage. It doesn’t seem to get any simpler than that! But …
Even though you can use your truck as a backup source of electricity for your home, is it just as good an option as a fixed unit?
In my opinion, if you’re serious about needing backup power, you’d be better off installing a fixed system permanently integrated into your home, for a number of reasons. First, a newly purchased Lightning’s battery warranty lasts eight years or 100,000 miles – and you’ll face an expensive ordeal replacing a battery after its warranty runs out, with costs between $5,000 and $20,000 or more for parts, depending on the size of your system, before labor and other expenses are added. A fixed home battery, such as the Briggs & Stratton AmpliPHI 3.8, on the other hand, comes with a 15-year warranty and can be pulled off the shelf and replaced in a few minutes (no hydraulic lift or tow truck necessary). And while the AmpliPHI and its competitors aren’t cheap, starting at about $3,300, they can be less expensive and easier to maintain in the long run.
Second, you’ll save the life of your truck battery for transportation. In Texas, our power outages are often caused by afternoon and evening thunderstorms. If you’re a Texan driving your EV truck around all day, you’ll likely drain your battery by the time you get home. What happens if you have an evening outage before the truck recharges? Or, what if you face a long-term outage and drain your truck’s battery, stranding you at home in the dark? Although Ford claims the Lightning can back up your home for up to three days, that assumes you purchased the extended-range battery pack, your truck is fully charged when the power goes out, and you use minimal electricity.
A friend of mine has driven his Lightning for three years and considers it the best pickup he’s ever owned. He gets up to 400 miles of range and says it “works like a mule on steroids.” He also has a separate battery backup system for his home. When I finally upgrade to an electric truck, there’ll probably be even more models offering V2H. No matter which one I go with, I’ll follow my friend’s lead and opt to forgo the pricey home backup power kit. Instead, I’ll put my money toward a fixed battery system with solar (plus a fueled generator for third-tier backup) that can power my home – and charge my truck – during an outage.
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We’ll do our best to answer your questions on energy in upcoming issues. Email them to Letters@MotherEarthNews.com with “Energy Q&A” in the subject line. May all your days be filled with sunshine – even when it rains!
Hoss Boyd is founder, president, and CEO of TeraVolt Energy and a recognized solar and energy-storage expert. Learn more about TeraVolt Energy at http://TVNRG.com.
Originally published in the December 2025/January 2026 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine and regularly vetted for accuracy.
