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Updated: May 8, 2026
Tesla has started offering PowerShare home backup on new Model 3 and Model Y orders in the United States. The change means the company’s two best-selling EVs can now do something earlier versions could not: supply household power when the grid goes down. The update appears on Tesla’s U.S. order page and extends bidirectional charging technology beyond Cybertruck, giving mainstream EV buyers a backup-power reason to choose Tesla.
According to Tesla’s updated U.S. configuration flow, PowerShare home backup is now listed for Model 3 and Model Y. The automaker says the feature is available on new orders rather than through a later software update for cars already on the road. That distinction matters. It implies the latest production versions include the necessary onboard hardware for bidirectional discharge, not just a software toggle.
Tesla has not yet issued a broad press release about the expansion. The most visible evidence is the order page itself. Customers who begin configuring a Model 3 or Model Y in the U.S. will see the home-backup option described as part of the vehicle’s capabilities, with additional details about installation and compatible equipment. Tesla also appears to be tying the feature to its broader energy ecosystem, steering buyers toward its own chargers and transfer equipment.
Cybertruck owners have had PowerShare since that vehicle launched, but Cybertruck remains a niche product compared with Model 3 and Model Y. Adding the capability to the top-selling EV nameplates changes the addressable market overnight. Every U.S. Tesla store that sells Model 3 and Model Y can now have a conversation about backup power during an outage, not just a conversation about range and charging speed.
The timing is hard to miss. The U.S. has seen more frequent severe weather, grid-strain events, and utility shutoffs in recent years. The Energy Information Administration estimates the average American household consumes roughly 29 kWh of electricity per day. A fully charged modern EV battery holds several times that energy. So even before factoring in solar or a Powerwall, a parked Model 3 or Model Y can act as a meaningful household reserve for an evening, a day, or longer if electricity use is managed carefully.
EV buyers are used to seeing vehicle outlets that can run a phone, a laptop, or a small appliance. Those are useful for camping and roadside work, but they are not designed to power a home electrical panel. PowerShare home backup is a different animal. It is designed to work as a temporary automatic power source for a house.
In the basic setup, the vehicle is plugged into a compatible Tesla wall connector, and a transfer device or gateway isolates the home from the local grid when an outage is detected. The vehicle then feeds power into the home through that wired connection. That is why installation matters: the home must be set up to disconnect from the grid safely before the EV can begin supplying power.
In practice, a homeowner sets a minimum battery reserve through the Tesla app. The EV will stop supplying power when the battery reaches that reserve level, so the owner can still drive in the morning. The system also needs to know the home wiring and be installed by a licensed electrician. Because the feature is tied to new orders, existing Model 3 and Model Y owners cannot assume they can buy a compatible charger and activate it tomorrow.
Ford’s F-150 Lightning introduced Intelligent Backup Power in 2022, and General Motors has offered bidirectional home power on its Silverado EV and other Ultium vehicles. Hyundai, Kia, and several EV makers outside North America have added vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-home support more recently. Tesla was not first to this idea.
What is different is the scale of deployment. Model 3 and Model Y account for the large majority of Tesla’s U.S. deliveries. If even a small percentage of new order holders choose compatible home equipment, the number of EVs able to power a house will grow quickly. That matters for customers, but it also matters for utilities and grid planners. A distributed fleet of EV batteries can serve as a kind of private microgrid, reducing the need for more peaking plants or diesel generators in an emergency.
There is a common assumption that allowing EV batteries to power a home cuts into Powerwall sales. But the two products are not pure substitutes. A Powerwall can charge from solar and power a home automatically without the car being parked. An EV with PowerShare needs to be at home and plugged in. Many households will still want a dedicated stationary battery for seamless backup, especially if the car is driven to work during the day.
The strategic advantage for Tesla is that PowerShare deepens the connection between its vehicle business and its energy business. A new Model 3 or Model Y owner who buys a compatible wall connector and gateway is already partway to Tesla’s home-energy ecosystem. If that owner later adds solar panels or another Powerwall, the installation and software are designed around the same app and equipment. In that sense, PowerShare is less about replacing Powerwall and more about making the entire Tesla stack more attractive than a mixed bundle from different vendors.
If you are ordering a new Model 3 or Model Y in the U.S., a few practical points are worth keeping in mind:
Tesla’s move is a milestone not because vehicle-to-home power is new, but because it is reaching the mainstream. With new Model 3 and Model Y orders now able to back up a home during outages, the EV is no longer just a way to reduce fuel costs. It is beginning to behave like a home battery you can drive. How quickly utilities, installers, and consumers take advantage of that will determine whether the promise turns into a common part of home energy resilience.
