Polestar announced on Tuesday that it is making bi-directional charging available to owners of its Polestar 3 SUV in the US.
Bi-directional charging capabilities allow owners to use their electric vehicles as backup power sources for their residences (vehicle-to-home or V2H) or back to the electricity grid (vehicle-to-grid or V2G).
Back in January, Polestar teased that it would launch later in the year both vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home capabilities, starting with Polestar 3.
The Geely-backed EV brand has partnered with home energy company dcbel to offer vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging and blackout protection support.
However, the company did not mention the launch of V2G capabilities.
California will be the first state where V2H is available, with a timeline for other states still unknown.
The commercial offer targets California residents who can benefit from local incentives, and includes the dcbel home energy system, Ara.
According to a joint statement, it can reduce charging costs by up to $1,300 per year and enables customers to use their vehicle as an energy backup for up to 10 days during blackouts.
“Actual savings may vary depending on utility rates, energy usage, EV battery capacity, and user behaviour,” Polestar said in a statement adding that its calculations are based on 30 kWh use per day.
In the US, several automakers have offered the solution since 2023, including Volkswagen, Ford, General Motors and Hyundai Group.
Earlier this month, Tesla started offering V2H charging capabilities — plus vehicle to load (V2L) — in the new Model Y L variant in China.
US Market
The functionality will be enabled for Polestar 3 vehicles on the 400V electrical architecture, launched in 2022 and first delivered in June 2024.
Last month, Polestar unveiled a new version of its most expensive SUV, built on a 800V platform.
However (and despite the Polestar 3 production in the US), deliveries are expected to begin first in the UK, where demand is higher.
“Other markets will follow at a later date,” the brand stated then.
In the US, only the Polestar 2 sedan and Polestar 3 SUV are currently being delivered.
Last month, the company delivered 5 units of the Polestar 2 and 255 units of the Polestar 3, according to Motor Intelligence estimates.
Europe
Polestar further noted that it continues to develop bi-directional charging capability, with “plans to introduce a wider offer in the future.”
The brand has launched a bi-directional-ready AC home charger in Germany, in a partnership with Norwegian EV charging manufacturer Zaptec.
“Compatible with Polestar 3, this charger enables bi-directional charging when the feature becomes available for the car in the future,” it added.
Polestar announced on Monday that it has opened its “largest ever” showroom in Sweden, where its operations are based.
Located on the E4 highway north of Stockholm, the new facility spans 1,190 square meters and consolidates sales, vehicle deliveries and service operations in a single location.
Q3 Results and Stock Below $1
Polestar reported a quarterly 36% surge in revenue to $748 million, which was still $102 million below the consensus estimate of $850 million.
The stock hit an all-time low of $0.52 on Friday, falling below its previous minimum of $0.61 set over a year ago.
On Monday, the stock dropped further to $0.50, before rebounding to $0.54.
