The California legislature has launched a invoice that will mandate bidirectional charging functionality for all new EVs offered within the state starting in 2027.

First noticed by Charged EVs, SB 233 has handed the California Senate Vitality Committee and now heads to the Senate Transportation Committee April 25 for additional consideration. If enacted, the invoice would guarantee all new EVs offered in California after 2027 would have the flexibility to discharge energy from their battery packs to help the facility grid, or present a backup energy supply for properties.

2023 Ford F-150 Lightning

“SB 233 will make EVs extra enticing to customers by enabling them to make use of their automotive batteries to energy their properties,” State Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the invoice’s sponsor, stated in an announcement.

Bidirectional charging itself would even be incentivized by setting apart funding for increased ranges of incentives than these already obtainable for normal EVs and charging infrastructure. The invoice proposes making this shift starting in July 1, 2024. California simply final yr expanded its bidirectional charging pilot applications, providing extra benefits to deprived communities and bringing some single-family properties into the fold.

2024 Volvo EX90

These applications included a microgrid pilot that would see how properly individually owned EVs might assist counter brownouts—comparable to with the Ford F-150 Lightning and its Clever Backup Energy system.

As of but, solely a subset of EVs provide bidirectional charging. Along with the F-150 Lightning, and Hyundai/Kia/Genesis fashions primarily based on the automaker’s E-GMP platform, Lucid has stated that this means might be enabled quickly, and it is already delivering house chargers suitable with it. Volvo has geared up its upcoming EX90 with bidirectional charging {hardware} for AC and DC makes use of, and Volkswagen has stated its mainstream EVs will provide bidirectional charging functionality within the close to future.