V2L: Your EV’s hidden Superpower - and 5 unexpected ways to use it

When is an EV not just an EV?
When it's a battery.

That's what you get with Vehicle to Load (V2L) technology.

Let’s take a look.

V2L technology allows your EV to use its battery to charge or power a range of electric devices. You may also see it referred to as Vehicle to Device (V2D).

Here’s how it works:

• Plug a V2L adaptor into your EV’s charge port. Hey presto, you suddenly have a 3-pin socket with a mighty battery (your car) behind it.
• Your EV uses an onboard converter to turn high-voltage DC current into AC current – the type needed to power everyday devices.
• Plug your device in, and your EV will power it as if it were plugged into your home mains supply.
• Set up a cutoff point, so you don't drain your car of its power. When the car battery reaches your chosen level, it will stop charging.
• And that's it - a source of power wherever you drive.

On a long drive? Got a few minutes to spare whilst picking someone up? Home working giving you cabin fever?

You can use V2L to power your laptop, so you can make a dent in your to-do list whilst out and about. You can even power your laptop whilst the car is on the move – so if you’re in the passenger seat, you can get work done en route.

Alternatively, find a nearby picnic spot, park up, and enjoy some time working in the fresh air, using your EV as a giant laptop charger.

The UK weather being what it is, it helps to be prepared. And what could be more prepared than getting a round of hot drinks on the go at a moment’s notice?

Keep an old kettle or coffee machine in the boot, and you’ll always be able to warm up when your picnic, Sunday league footie game, or nice country walk inevitably gets rained on.

Say goodbye to faffy charcoal barbecues and undercooked sausages. Get out the grill. Pizza by the campfire, anyone? Get the sound system blaring. A cool box of ice-cold drinks. An air mattress that doesn't break your back. A real coffee in the morning. A fully-charged phone.

All is possible when your car switches to a power source. Just plug in and eat, dance, drink, sleep, wander, chill. never worrying about power. Just like when you're at home.

Doing some outdoor renovations? Cutting the grass? Giving your car a power wash? Save yourself running metres of extension leads across your driveway or garden by moving your EV somewhere convenient, then plug straight in to minimise trip hazards.

Power cut at home? No problem. Your EV’s V2L feature can step in when the grid goes down, keeping your phone charged, the WiFi running, and powering essential appliances.

Whether it’s a stormy night or an unexpected blackout, you’ve got a silent, portable backup generator parked right outside. Just plug in and carry on.

Most of the EVs we lease are enabled with V2L, like BYDs, Polestars, Cupra Born and Tavascan, MG4, MG5, Audi Q4 e-Tron, Hyundai IONIQ 6, and Dacia Spring.