Vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, has been discussed for years as the next big thing in how electric vehicles fit into our country’s energy system. Until recently, though, it’s mostly lived in trials, pilot programs, and future roadmaps—interesting, but out of reach for everyday EV owners.
That’s starting to change. With Australia’s Clean Energy Council-certified bidirectional chargers now approved and the EV charging industry gathering this week at EV Charging Australia to focus on infrastructure, grid integration, and next-stage rollout,
V2G is moving from concept to something homeowners can realistically plan around.
However, that doesn’t mean every EV owner can suddenly power their home or sell electricity back to the grid.
In 2026, V2G sits in an in-between space: technically possible, increasingly supported, but still shaped by limits around hardware, vehicle compatibility, energy retailers and manufacturers’ rules. Understanding what’s actually available now, versus what’s still coming, matters if you’re considering an EV as part of your home energy setup.
Here’s what V2G really looks like in 2026, and what you can actually do with it today.
Where V2G sits today
Most discussions about V2G lump several different ideas together, which is where expectations start to drift. In practice, V2G is just one part of a broader shift toward bidirectional charging, and it’s the most constrained part of it right now.
Sending energy from an EV to a home (often called V2H) is technically simpler and already achievable in limited setups. Sending energy from an EV back to the grid is more complicated because it needs approval from network operations, cooperation from energy retailers, and controls that determine when and how that energy is exported.
That distinction matters in 2026. While bidirectional charging hardware is now certified for Australian homes, V2G itself is still being introduced carefully. Most real-world use today happens inside tightly controlled environments rather than as a universal feature available to every EV owner.
It’s not a switch you turn on, but a system that only works when vehicles, chargers, homes, and the grid are all aligned.
What has changed recently
For a long time, V2G stalled at the same point: even if an EV could technically send power back out, there was no approved way to connect that capability safely to homes or the grid. That has started to lift.
The approval of CEC-certified bidirectional chargers means bidirectional charging is no longer confined to demonstrations or research projects. It can now be installed under Australia’s existing electrical and grid connection frameworks, provided the rest of the system also lines up.
This doesn’t mean universal V2G overnight, but it does change the starting point. Instead of asking whether bidirectional charging is allowed at all, the conversation has moved to where, how, and under what conditions it can be used. That is what makes this year different from earlier years.
What EV owners can realistically do in 2026
V2G this year is about a narrower set of use cases that are becoming achievable under the right conditions. One of the most immediate is using an EV as backup power. With a compatible vehicle and bidirectional charger, an EV can supply electricity to a home during outages, keeping essentials running for hours or days, depending on battery size and household demand.
EVs can also have a part in soaking up excess rooftop solar. Instead of exporting surplus solar during the middle of the day at low feed-in tariffs (FiTs), energy can be stored in the car’s battery and used later in the evening. For those without a home battery, this can materially improve how much solar they self-consume.
Some EV owners may also be able to participate in limited V2G or Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs where energy retailers control when vehicles export electricity back to the grid. These programs are still selective and location-specific, but they represent the first steps toward EVs earning value beyond transport.
What most owners can already do is optimise charging around time-of-use pricing. Even without exporting energy, smart charging allows EVs to act as flexible demand, charging when electricity is cheapest or cleanest. In short, this year is about targeted capability. EVs are starting to function as part of the home energy system, just not in every way, and not for everyone yet.
Where access is still limited
V2G is still far from a standard feature for EV owners in Australia. Access is still formed by a number of constraints working together. Not all EVs support bidirectional charging, and among those that do, functionality can vary by model year, software version and region. Even with a compatible car, a certified bidirectional charger is needed, along with an installation that meets network and safety requirements.
Energy retailers are also crucial here. Exporting energy back to the grid usually requires participation in a specific program, such as VPP or a retailer-led trial. Outside these programs, grid export from a vehicle is often not allowed, even if the hardware is capable.
There are also practical considerations around efficiency and control. V2G systems rely on software to determine when energy flows in or out of the vehicle, and in many cases, that control sits with the retailer rather than the homeowner.
For now, most EV owners cannot simply install a charger and begin exporting energy on their own terms. V2G works best where vehicles, chargers, retailers, and networks are tightly coordinated.
The big unanswered questions holding V2G back
Even as the technology moves closer to everyday use, several unresolved issues are slowing wider adoption. One of the biggest is battery warranty clarity. While many EVs are technically capable of bidirectional charging, most manufacturer warranty documents were written before V2G was even on the table. In many cases, they don’t clearly state how exporting energy back to a home or the grid affects long-term battery coverage.
There’s also a gap between technical capability and manufacturer approval. A vehicle may be able to support bidirectional charging in hardware, but that doesn’t always mean the manufacturer has formally endorsed that use outside controlled programs.
Grid rules add another layer. Exporting energy from a vehicle raises questions about connection agreements, metering, limits on export capacity, and how often a battery can cycle without causing broader network issues. These settings vary by location and are still evolving.
Finally, there’s the question of control. In many early V2G setups, decisions about when energy is discharged sit with retailers or program operators. For some, that trade-off is acceptable. For others, it’s a sticking point.
These unresolved details explain why V2G is advancing carefully, and why progress this year is likely to remain uneven rather than universal.
What homeowners should watch over the next 12 months
The next 12 months are more about watching the right signals and key developments:
- Bidirectional charger approvals as more hardware moves through CEC certification and becomes installable at scale.
- Installer availability and experience will influence how easily these systems can be deployed in real homes.
- Manufacturer guidance and warranty updates, particularly around approved bidirectional use.
- Energy retailer programs, including new or expanded V2G and VPP offerings.
- Network and policy changes, such as export limits, metering requirements and connection standards.
These will determine how quickly V2G moves from limited access to something more broadly usable for Australian households.
V2G isn’t here for everyone yet. But 2026 is the year it stopped being hypothetical.
With certified bidirectional chargers now available and real-world programs expanding, electric vehicles are beginning to function as part of the home energy system — not just a way to get around. The catch is that access still depends on the right mix of hardware, vehicles, retailer programs and evolving rules.
For homeowners, the shift is subtle but important. The question is no longer whether V2G will happen in Australia, but how it will roll out, who it will work for first, and under what conditions.
Energy Matters has been in the solar industry since 2005 and has helped over 40,000 Australian households in their journey to energy independence.
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