Electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar revealed plans to introduce bidirectional charging technology, allowing Polestar 3 vehicles to serve as power sources for households or the electrical grid, specifically for customers in California. This capability represents one of various methods for electric vehicle users to cut expenses, such as by minimizing total energy consumption or earning incentives for supplying surplus electricity to the utility network.
According to Polestar, the bidirectional charging system operates on direct current and provides vehicle-to-home (V2H) operations for Polestar 3 models equipped with the 400-volt electrical system. The company is collaborating with residential energy firm dcbel, which oversees a California Energy Commission initiative to deploy home energy stations capable of integrating diverse renewable energy options in homes, such as electric vehicles featuring bidirectional charging. Polestar states that integration with dcbel's Ara platform allows users to lower their annual charging expenses by as much as $1,300 and rely on their vehicle for emergency power during outages lasting up to 10 days.
The functionality to redirect surplus energy from an electric vehicle's battery to a residence first gained prominence as a key highlight for Ford's F-150 Lightning truck. Similar bidirectional charging technology appears in General Motors' electric vehicle series and the latest Nissan Leaf model. Polestar indicated it will keep advancing bidirectional features across its lineup and intends to expand availability moving forward. Although this dcbel collaboration marks Polestar's initial bidirectional charging rollout in the United States, the brand has previously provided the service to German buyers through a home charging unit co-engineered with Zaptec.
California residents with a Polestar 3 can seek rebates for home energy stations via dcbel's online portal to experience the technology firsthand.