Tesla’s best-selling vehicles can now send power to your home, but the real revolution is yet to come

Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y can now power your home during an outage, using a feature called Powershare Home Backup. This was already available on the Cybertruck, but now extends to Tesla's two most common models across the US and Puerto Rico. To use it, you need a Tesla Powerwall 3 (a home battery) and a Tesla Wall Connector, plus a Model 3 or Y bought after October 1, 2026 — though some earlier vehicles may also have the right hardware, which you can check on the car's touchscreen. A certified installer still has to confirm the wiring meets code before the system can be turned on, but Tesla says no new equipment is needed if you already have a Powerwall 3 and Wall Connector in place.

The batteries in these cars are much bigger than a Powerwall, holding somewhere between 50 and 79 kWh depending on trim, compared to 13.5 kWh in a Powerwall 3. Tesla says that's enough to run an average home for more than two days on battery alone. If you lease a Powerwall in parts of Texas or New England, Tesla says adding this backup feature costs under $50 a month.

One thing the Model 3 and Y still can't do is send power back to the grid to earn money or credits during peak demand, a feature called vehicle-to-grid that Cybertruck owners in parts of California and Texas already have. Tesla hasn't said whether or when that capability might come to its more popular models.