Fully vaccinated and freshly charged, our family will hit the road in our EV this 4th of July with a new appreciation for independence. It’s been a long year at home with three kids, three cats and three turtles but we have been luckier than most. We have our independence, health, and security for which we are very grateful. What has become completely evident to me in the last year is how integral our EV is to all three.
For instance, we lost power during the rolling blackouts of the 2020 California extreme fires. Remember the sky last fall? Oh right, no one could see it because of the dense orange smoke full of toxic particulates. We had to wear masks on top of our masks. What a year! But our lives went on with Zoom classes and meetings and, using our phones as hot-spots, we were able to still communicate with those we love because we luckily had a backup battery to charge all our devices—in the form of our car! The potential for EVs to play a critical role as backup power for our homes and the grid is enormous. Automakers know this. Ford’s recent debut of its all-electric F-150 Lightning features its ability to provide full-home backup power for up to three days and, depending on usage, even up to 10 days. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab scientists are researching and demonstrating the EV to grid capabilities at Flexlab – the world’s most advanced integrated building and grid technologies test bed. Long duration storage (10-100 hours) is a linchpin in the transition to carbon neutrality by 2045. EVs could provide one solution.
Then there is the money saved […]