When the Grid Fails, Your EV Could Step In!

A Texas study finds EVs with bidirectional charging could cut blackouts by 60%

28 Apr 2025

Electric vehicles could play a significant role in stabilising power grids, according to a study from Travis County, Texas, which found that cars equipped with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology could reduce power outages by up to 60 per cent during extreme weather events.

The report, published in late 2024, modelled how EVs with bidirectional charging could feed electricity back into the grid during periods of high demand. When connected to compatible chargers, parked vehicles act as mobile storage units, supplying power that can ease pressure on local networks.

Researchers said the results highlight how the boundary between transport and energy infrastructure is blurring as climate-related stresses intensify. The simulations suggest that using EVs as grid assets could limit rolling blackouts and support critical facilities during emergencies.

Adopting such systems, however, would require investment in hardware and regulatory changes. Most EVs and chargers today do not enable two-way energy flow. Only a few firms, including Fermata Energy and Nuvve, have launched commercial-scale bidirectional charging projects.

Fermata Energy has run pilot schemes with utilities such as Xcel Energy in Colorado to test whether V2G systems can help reduce peak electricity demand. Nuvve, another specialist in this sector, is in talks to acquire Fermata, a move that could combine software and operational expertise while addressing Fermata’s financial difficulties.

The Texas study proposed starting with public fleets such as school buses and municipal service vehicles, which return to central depots on regular schedules. Their predictable usage patterns could help prove the economic and technical case before expanding to private households.

“This isn’t just a tech upgrade. It’s a new way of thinking about energy,” said one grid expert familiar with the findings. “We’re moving from centralized power plants to a distributed, vehicle-based safety net.”

As the number of EVs on US roads grows, analysts say their collective storage potential could become a cornerstone of national energy resilience. Success will depend on policy coordination, industry standards and the pace of infrastructure deployment.