PSE, Chargescape Announce Washington’s First V2H Demonstration

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and ChargeScape have launched testing of vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology that allows electric vehicles to power homes during outages, with Ford, Kia, and Wallbox participating as partners. PSE announced the news on March 18, 2026.

The demonstration, which began last month, enables owners of bidirectional-capable EVs, initially the Ford F-150 Lightning and Kia EV9, to use their vehicle batteries as backup power while also supporting grid reliability during peak demand. Participating customers can maintain power during outages, reduce energy costs by storing cheaper off-peak electricity and discharging it during pricier peak periods, and contribute to grid stability during high-stress periods.

ChargeScape, the automaker-backed vehicle-grid integration platform, connects original equipment manufacturers with utilities through secure, industry-standard protocols and currently manages EV charging programs across millions of households nationwide. PSE said the timing of the demonstration responds to a set of converging regional pressures, including rising peak-period energy costs, more frequent weather-related outages, growing renewable energy integration demands, and the need for flexible grid resources.

“PSE’s forward-thinking approach to grid modernization makes them a strong partner for advancing V2X technology in the Pacific Northwest,” said Rani Murali, Head of Utility Programs at ChargeScape. “This demonstration will provide valuable real-world insights into how bidirectional EVs can serve as distributed energy resources, strengthening both customer energy security and resiliency while enabling more dynamic grid operations.”

“We want more people to understand the benefits of owning an electric vehicle, which extends far beyond the fact that they are fun to drive. PSE is helping us do just that,” said David McCreadie, Director of EV Grid Energy Services at Ford. “By embracing this technology now, PSE is not only gaining critical insights to benefit their own grid operations, but more importantly, they are paving the way to enable EV customers with opportunities to realize significant electricity bill savings and enhanced reliability through this game-changing technology.”

The program will test two primary use cases: time-of-use optimization, where EVs discharge energy to the home during daily peak pricing windows to reduce bills, and demand response events, where PSE can call on participating vehicles to ease grid stress during high-demand situations.

PSE said the initiative supports its broader clean energy and grid modernization goals by turning EV batteries into distributed energy storage assets. The demonstration is expected to generate data on technology integration, interconnection processes, customer experience, and grid and billing impacts, with findings intended to inform future expansion of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) programs across PSE’s service territory.

ChargeScape also maintains relationships with BMW, Honda, Stellantis, Tesla, and Nissan, along with charging infrastructure providers. Initial enrollment will be limited to PSE employees with compatible bidirectional EVs. The utility said it hopes to open the program to broader customer participation as soon as 2027.

EVinfo.net’s Take: The Grid Has a New Partner, It’s Parked in Your Driveway

For decades, the power grid operated on a simple premise: energy flows one way, from generator to consumer. That model is breaking down, and the EV sitting in a fleet depot or a homeowner’s garage is a big reason why.

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G), vehicle-to-home (V2H), and the broader vehicle-to-everything (V2X) ecosystem are moving fast from pilot programs to commercial reality, and the implications for grid operators, utilities, fleet managers, and policymakers are hard to overstate.

The Numbers Are Stacking Up

Market projections vary, but the direction is unambiguous. According to BCC Research, the global V2G market is expected to grow from $6.3 billion in 2025 to $16.9 billion by 2030, driven by the convergence of surging EV adoption, renewable energy’s need for flexible backup, smarter decentralized grids, and forward-thinking state incentives. Meanwhile, the broader V2X market reached $3.6 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit $29.3 billion by 2033, growing at nearly 30% annually.

These are not speculative numbers built on theoretical infrastructure. The deployments are real and accelerating. In 2025, China launched V2G pilot projects in nine major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, integrating EVs into its renewable energy framework to store excess wind and solar generation and discharge it during peak hours. In Europe, Octopus Energy and BYD launched the UK’s first V2G bundle product, pairing a bidirectional charger with a leased EV and a smart tariff offering free home charging.

Why This Matters for the Grid

The core value proposition is straightforward. Renewable generation is intermittent. Grid demand is spiky. Stationary storage is expensive to build and site. But millions of EV batteries, intelligently coordinated, represent a massive distributed storage resource that is already paid for by the vehicle purchase.

Fraunhofer Institute analysis estimates V2G could deliver approximately €9.7 billion in annual energy system savings in Europe by 2030, with cumulative savings exceeding €100 billion between 2030 and 2040. For utilities facing peak demand pressure and aging infrastructure, that is a compelling alternative to building new peaker plants.

Fleet applications are particularly promising. A recent demonstration by MyWheels integrated 500 bidirectional Renault EVs as distributed storage assets, using idle battery capacity to smooth electricity demand peaks while creating new revenue streams for both the fleet operator and the local utility.

Beyond the Grid

V2H is adding a resilience dimension that resonates well beyond energy policy circles. As weather-related outages become more frequent, the ability of an EV to power a home for days during a grid disruption is becoming a genuine selling point for both automakers and utilities. Programs like the PSE and ChargeScape pilot in the Pacific Northwest are testing exactly this use case, with major OEMs including Ford and Kia already participating.

The remaining friction points are real but narrowing. Battery degradation from bidirectional cycling, upfront charger costs, and the absence of universal interoperability standards have all slowed adoption. But automakers are moving. Nissan has announced plans to bring affordable onboard bidirectional charging to select EVs starting in 2026, initially in the UK before expanding across Europe.

The technology is no longer a question. The speed and coordination of deployment is.