Bidirectional EV Charging Australia: V2G, V2H & V2L (Explained)

What is Bidirectional EV Charging?

So here's the thing about regular EV charging - it’s a one-way street. Electricity flows from the grid into your car's battery, and that's it. Bidirectional EV charging flips that script entirely. It enables a two-way flow of electricity between your EV and something else, whether that's your home, the electrical grid, or even your camping gear.

Most cars sit parked for around 95% of their life. Bidirectional charging lets you put that battery capacity to work.

There are three main types of bidirectional EV charging:

• V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid): Your EV sends power back to the electrical grid.
• V2H (Vehicle-to-Home): Your EV powers your house directly.
• V2L (Vehicle-to-Load): Your EV powers appliances or devices through an outlet.

Australia now allows bidirectional charging under Australian Standards AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 and AS/NZS 4777.1:2024. These updated standards have removed key barriers, and Australia is projected to have 300,000 V2G-capable EVs by 2030. (Source: ARENA).

Why does this matter for Australian households? Energy bill savings, backup power during outages , and grid support. When you can charge when electricity is cheap and potentially export when it's expensive, you're looking at real savings.

Difference Between V2G, V2H, & V2L

Okay, so all three of these are forms of bidirectional charging, but they differ in where that exported electricity actually goes and what you can do with it.

Let's break down each one.

Vehicle to Grid (V2G)

V2G is where your EV supplies power back to the main electrical grid. You charge overnight when electricity is cheap, then during peak afternoon hours, your car exports stored energy back to the grid. In return, you get paid through special tariffs or incentive programs.

By the early 2030s, the storage capacity from bidirectional cars is likely to surpass all other forms of storage in the National Energy Market, including Snowy 2.0. That's massive potential. But V2G is still developing in Australia.

Until recently, bidirectional V2G chargers were only permitted in South Australia and across some applications in WA, NSW, and the ACT for the CHAdeMO charging plug. The regulatory framework is expanding, but you'll need specific approval from your network provider.

Vehicle to Home (V2H)

V2H means your EV powers your house directly. Your solar panels generate electricity during the day, which charges your EV. Then in the evening when your solar stops producing, your car supplies electricity to your home instead of drawing from the grid.

We recently helped a family in Burleigh Heads set up their home for V2H capability. They already had a 10kW solar system and were frustrated paying peak rates every evening. Once we explained how their future EV could store that daytime solar and discharge it at night, they were sold on future-proofing their electrical setup now.

For V2H to work in Australia, you'll need a bidirectional charger, potentially modifications to your switchboard, and proper isolation from the grid for backup scenarios.

The benefits are compelling: better self-consumption of your solar energy, resilience during power outages, and reduced electricity bills. The limitations include cost, limited vehicle compatibility, and regulatory approval requirements.

Vehicle to Load (V2L)

V2L is the simplest form and it's actually available right now on many EVs in Australia. Your EV powers appliances or devices directly through an outlet built into the vehicle. You're not connecting to your home's wiring at all.

Think camping with a portable fridge and coffee maker, using power tools at a remote worksite, or keeping devices charged during a road trip. V2L doesn't require any special home installation or network approval. If your EV has V2L capability, you can use it immediately.