Electric vehicles (EVs) could play a growing role in how property owners store and use energy, according to new research published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
The study, carried out in Australia, examines how vehicle‑to‑home (V2H) technology enables EVs to act as mobile energy storage when parked and plugged in. Researchers say the findings have wider relevance for households and organisations facing volatile energy prices, grid constraints and seasonal demand pressures, including across the UK & Ireland.
EVs as energy storage
V2H technology allows electricity stored in an EV’s battery to be used to power a property. During periods of high electricity prices, a V2H‑enabled vehicle can supply power directly to a home or business, reducing reliance on the grid and providing an additional back‑up energy source.
The technology is particularly relevant for properties with rooftop solar. Surplus electricity generated during the day can be stored in the vehicle and used later, when demand and tariffs are higher.
Using EVs as batteries could cut costs and grid reliance
The researchers compared three different energy configurations:
- Solar combined with a home battery and a V2H‑enabled EV
- Solar with an EV but without V2H capability
- EV‑only systems
The most efficient configuration combined a 7kW solar system, a 9kW home battery and a V2H‑enabled EV. Under this setup, electricity costs were reduced to $0.27 per kWh and grid imports fell by 78%.
The study found that when V2H was not available, households required significantly larger home batteries to achieve similar reductions in grid reliance. This increased overall energy costs by more than 10%.
Lower costs and grid demand
Under the most efficient model, annual energy costs were $2,451 - the lowest of all scenarios analysed. According to the researchers, the results show that EVs can reduce the need for dedicated home battery storage when integrated into wider energy systems.
Lead researcher Golsa Azarbakhsh from Flinders University said: “Vehicle‑to‑home capability can reduce the need for dedicated home battery storage while lowering household electricity costs by about 6.8%.”
The study also found that V2H helped smooth energy demand across the year, particularly during winter months, when solar generation typically falls and reliance on the grid increases.
Implications for businesses and fleets
While the research focused on residential energy use, the authors say the findings also have implications for businesses. Wider adoption of V2H could support more efficient energy management across EV fleets and create opportunities to optimise energy use and resilience.
Future research will explore how V2H performs in shared housing environments and public charging systems, assessing how the technology could operate at scale in more complex, real-world environments.
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