Automotive stakeholders have been turning their attention to the advantages of owning an electric vehicle in case of a grid outage or other emergency, and the new LDK+ concept minivan from Sharp demonstrates yet another take on the subject with a home-away-from-home shelter model. The minivan model also provides the opportunity to ask the burning question: Which would you rather have on hand when disaster strikes, a Sharp LDK+ or a Tesla Cybertruck?
The Electric Vehicle Solution For Disaster Response, Grid Support Edition
That’s a trick question, partly because it depends on the kind of disaster. If the problem is limited to a local power outage, then any electric vehicle equipped with Vehicle-to-X capability can function as a gigantic, rolling energy storage unit. When the grid goes down, an EV battery can power home appliances for a reasonable period of time.
An electric vehicle also enables homeowners with rooftop solar panels to bring their clean kilowatts over to a neighbor’s house in case of need, lending a nice layer of civic engagement to EV ownership.
Ford has already taken note of the connection between disaster response, civic engagement, rooftop solar panels and EV batteries in marketing its F-150 Lightening electric pickup truck. Back in 2021 the automaker teased a connection with the leading solar installer SunRun, and that relationship is beginning to bear fruit.
Aside from weathering local grid outages, electric vehicle owners can also modify their battery charging times and contribute stored kilowatts back to the grid. This virtual power plant model enables a local utility to meet demand spikes and avoid disruptions without resorting to expensive new infrastructure, helping to support lower rates for the whole community.