Vehicle-to-load (V2L): what it does and which UK cars have it
V2L turns the car's battery into a mains socket for appliances, tools or camping kit. It won't cut your energy bill, but it's useful, and it's now on a lot of UK EVs and some plug-in hybrids, including BYD's new seven-seat Ti7.
Econotion · Updated 22 October 2026 · From manufacturer and dealer information and published tests
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V2L gives you a 230V socket from the car's battery, usually up to about 3.6 kW, either from a socket inside the car or from an adapter that plugs into the charging port. It's handy for camping, working on site or running a few essentials in a power cut, but it doesn't connect to your house wiring or export to the grid, so it won't save you anything on your electricity bill. For that you need V2H or V2G, which are covered in the V2G guide.
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What V2L is
V2L stands for vehicle-to-load. The car has an inverter that turns the battery's DC into 230V AC, the same as a household socket, and you get at it in one of two ways:
- an adapter that plugs into the charging port with a three-pin socket on the end, which is how BYD does it
- a three-pin socket inside the car, usually under the rear seats, which Kia and Hyundai fit alongside the adapter
Kia says V2L can't be used while the car is charging, and that by default it stops when the battery gets down to 20%. You can change that limit in the car's settings so you keep enough charge to drive home.
How it differs from V2H and V2G
- V2L powers individual appliances through a socket, with nothing to install.
- V2H powers the house through a bidirectional charger wired into your consumer unit.
- V2G sends power back to the grid and you get paid for it, which needs a bidirectional charger, network approval and a tariff that supports it.
A lot of cars advertised as bidirectional only offer V2L in the UK. The V2G guide covers what's actually available for V2H and V2G.
What it can run
Cars generally top out at about 3.6 kW, which is 16 amps at 230V, and a single UK three-pin socket is rated at 13 amps, or about 3 kW. That's enough for:
- a kettle, but not much else at the same time
- a fridge or freezer, lights, a laptop, a router and phone chargers together
- power tools on site
- a camping cool box, a single hob ring or a coffee machine
It won't run an electric shower, an oven or a heat pump, and if you go over the car's limit it cuts out.
How long it lasts
Divide the usable battery by what you're drawing. On a 77 kWh battery stopping at 20%, there's about 61 kWh to use, which is around 30 hours at 2 kW, or a lot longer if you're only running a fridge, lights and a router. These are our own sums, and the car shows what's left as you go.
Using it in a power cut
Run extension leads from the car straight to the appliances you need. Don't try to feed the house wiring from V2L by plugging a lead into a wall socket, as it's dangerous for you and for anyone working on the network. Powering the house properly needs a V2H charger fitted by an electrician.
UK cars with V2L
| Car | How you use it | Maximum output |
|---|---|---|
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | Socket under the rear seats and charging-port adapter | 3.6 kW, cutting out below 15% charge (CAR magazine's Ioniq 5 test) |
| Kia EV6, EV9 and Niro EV | Socket under the rear seats and charging-port adapter | up to 3.6 kW, stopping at 20% by default |
| BYD Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal and Sealion 7 | Charging-port discharge adapter | published figures vary between 2.2 and 3.3 kW by model and source |
| MG4 | Charging-port adapter | 3.3 kW, or 6.6 kW on the Trophy (secondary source) |
| BYD Ti7 | Confirmed as standard, method not yet published | not yet published |
Output figures vary between sources and sometimes between trims, so check the handbook or ask the dealer before you rely on a number. V2L is also not always standard on every trim, and some cars need the adapter bought separately.
The BYD Ti7
The Ti7 is BYD's first seven-seater in the UK, a large plug-in hybrid SUV based on the Fangchengbao Ti7 sold in China. UK orders opened at £47,995 on the road for a single Excellence AWD version, with showroom cars due in November and customer deliveries from January 2027, and BYD is matching a £500 pre-order deposit with £500 of its own.
- 35.6 kWh Blade battery, a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and two electric motors driving all four wheels
- up to 79 miles on electric power according to CAR magazine and BYD dealers, though Auto Express gives 74 miles, and dealers quote up to 102 miles in city driving and 441 miles combined
- 6.6 kW on-board charger for home and AC charging
- seven seats, 5,146 mm long, with a 2,500 kg towing limit
- V2L as standard
BYD UK hasn't published the Ti7's V2L output or how you access it yet, so we'll update this when it does. Power and range figures also differ between sources, with dealers quoting 483hp, carwow listing 408bhp and Auto Express 402bhp, so treat those as provisional until BYD UK publishes full specifications.
A 35.6 kWh battery is more than some small EVs have, which makes the Ti7 a reasonable V2L car for a plug-in hybrid. Charged at home on a cheap overnight rate, the electric range also covers a lot of daily driving without the engine starting.
Where V2L is worth having
If you camp, work outdoors or want a back-up for a few essentials in a power cut, V2L is worth having, and as it's standard on a lot of cars now you may already have it. If you want the car to cut your bills, look at a cheap overnight tariff for charging it, and at V2H or V2G for running the house, which is a separate and more expensive setup.
Common questions
How much power can V2L supply?
Usually up to about 3.6 kW, and a UK three-pin socket is rated at 13 A, about 3 kW. That's enough for a kettle on its own, or a fridge, lights, laptop and router together, but not an electric shower, oven or heat pump.
Can I use V2L to power my house in a power cut?
Only by running extension leads from the car to the appliances. Never feed the house wiring by plugging a lead into a wall socket. Powering the house itself needs a V2H charger fitted by an electrician.
Does V2L lower my electricity bill?
No. V2L doesn't connect to the house wiring or export to the grid, so it has no effect on what you pay for electricity.
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