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Your EV Can Charge a Power Station. With 120 Watts to Spare.

Yes, by the makers’ own ratings. A Hyundai or Kia EV allows about 1,920 W, and 8 of the 13 stations we rated can ask for 1,800 W of it, so turn the station down for a long charge.

By Gunner Gustafson, Whole-Home Backup TesterAdd as a preferred source on Google

1,920 W

What a Hyundai or Kia V2L outlet allows

1,800 W

What 8 of the 13 stations we rated can ask for

1,440 W

What we’d set for a long charge

No maker we checked publishes a rule for charging from a car, so the answer comes from two labels: the car’s limit111 and the station’s charge rate.

Check your car and station

Kona + SOLIX S2000, by the makers’ ratings

Plug it in.

It should sit at 1,150 W, 60% of what the car allows.

Leave UltraFast off in the Anker app. This is the rate it ships at.

UltraFast (1,600 W) has to be switched on in the app, so it stays off unless you ask for it.

Anker SOLIX S2000
Charge at
1,150 W
9.6 A at 120 V
Car’s limit
1,920 W
16 A at 120 V
Empty to full
about 2.3 hours
from makers’ charge times
From the car
about 3.0 kWh
6% of 48.6 kWh, calculated
See all 13 stations against the Kona’s limit

Rate it ships atMost it can ask for

A bar with no solid part means the maker doesn’t say which rate it ships at. The Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 isn’t drawn because we couldn’t read its AC watts.

A driveway at dusk during a blackout. A pale grey electric crossover has a black adapter in the charge port on its nose, and an orange cord runs across the wet concrete to an Anker SOLIX S2000 power station, where a person in a hoodie crouches beside a camping lantern. Bikes, yellow rain boots and pumpkins sit by the open garage. A red child's ride-on car is wired to a small grey box in imitation, and a garden gnome in a headlamp inspects the cord through a magnifying glass.
The whole setup: a car, an adapter, one cord, one station. Illustration: Power Station Arena

Step by step

How to charge a power station from your EV

  1. Set the car’s floor.

    In the car’s EV menu, choose the lowest charge V2L may use, so you can still drive away. The Kona lets you pick 20% to 80%.2

  2. Plug in the adapter and one cord.

    The adapter goes in the charge port and is sold separately on the Kona.1 Use a grounded outdoor cord and skip the power strips.4

  3. Turn the station down.

    Set it to 1,440 W or less before a long charge. The checker above tells you how for your station.

  4. Keep the loads small.

    Anything running from the station while it charges adds to what the car has to supply.

The setting

Why we’d stop at 12 amps

1,800 W fits under a Kona’s limit. We still wouldn’t run it that way.

Two hours is a long time to sit at 94% of a limit, with an adapter and a cord warming up in between.

The makers print the same idea on their own labels. The C2000 Gen 2’s input reads 15 A for under three hours and 12 A continuous,21 and BLUETTI ships the Apex 300 at exactly 12 A.29

So 12 A, or 1,440 W, is our line. On a LEAF’s smaller 1,500 W adapter,14 it’s 1,200 W. A C2000 Gen 2 held to 1,440 W takes only about 23 minutes longer.

At night, a hand in a dark knit sleeve rests on a black V2L adapter in the open charge port on a pale grey car's nose, feeling for warmth where an orange plug meets it. A compact Anker SOLIX S2000 stands in the lit garage behind, with a scooter, muddy gloves and a mug on the hood. A small snail carrying a coil of orange cord sits by the gloves.
The first place we’d put a hand on a long charge. Illustration: Power Station Arena

Before you try it

What can stop the charge

Four things are worth knowing before you run a cord across the driveway. One more for anyone relying on medical gear: Hyundai says not to depend on V2L for it,4 and our medical outage planner starts from your device.

A garage at night during a blackout. A person in a robe and rubber boots frowns at a compact Anker SOLIX S2000 on the floor, its cords running to a chest freezer and a slow cooker on the workbench, beside a box fan, while an orange cord comes in from a car outside. A hamster runs in a wheel tied by string to the slow cooker, and under the freezer a mouse dines at a tiny table by a birthday candle.
A freezer and a slow cooker on the station, and the car outside supplies both on top of the charge. Illustration: Power Station Arena

Too much running at once

Power passing through a station comes on top of the charge. At 1,150 W, an S2000 leaves about 770 W before a Kona hits its limit.

The station doesn’t like the power

A V2L outlet is a small inverter, so treat it like a generator. BLUETTI recommends its Grid Self-Adaption mode for generators,29 and Hyundai warns some devices are sensitive to inverter power.4

The car reaches your floor

V2L cuts off at the limit you set,2 and it stops if the load is too big.3

The plug gets too warm

Hyundai says an overheated connector shuts the power off.4 Turning the station down is the simplest way to avoid it.

The bill

What it costs the car

Less than you might expect. A full charge takes about 3 kWh out of the car by our math. How long that keeps a house going is the subject of our EV versus home battery story.

6%

of a 48.6 kWh Kona, to fill an S2000 from empty

12 miles

of the 200 miles Hyundai quotes for the SE

13 fills

before the car reaches its 20% floor

On the test bench

What we’re testing next

First on our list is the Hyundai Kona Electric, which Hyundai sells with V2L.1

A watt meter goes between the adapter and the station. We’ll record how steady the power is and how warm the adapter gets, and post the readings here with the date.

We also looked at the US Volkswagen ID.4 and Mercedes EQE 350, and neither has a V2L route we can find. Volkswagen’s UK cars get V2L from software version 6,7 but its US page doesn’t list it.6 Mercedes’ 2023 US and Canada EQE manual lists 12 V sockets rated 180 W and USB ports, with no household outlet.8

Already doing this with your own car? Tell us how it went at hello@stationarena.com.

If you’re shopping

Which power stations are easiest to charge from an EV?

The first 4 ship at or under 12 A, so they need no setting on a Hyundai, Kia or Tesla outlet.

We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes what we report. How we make money.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

Can you charge a power station from an EV with V2L?

Yes, as long as the station’s draw stays under the car’s limit. Hyundai and Kia cars allow about 1,920 W. Going by the makers’ ratings, keep the station at 1,440 W or less for a long charge.

How long does it take?

An Anker SOLIX S2000 takes about 2.3 hours at its default 1,150 W. A 2,048 Wh station held to 1,440 W takes about 1.9 hours.

How much of the car’s battery does it use?

Filling a 2,010 Wh station from empty takes about 3 kWh by our math, about 6% of a 48.6 kWh Kona Electric.

Can a Volkswagen ID.4 or Mercedes EQE 350 charge a power station?

Not through V2L, as far as we can find on US cars. Volkswagen’s US page doesn’t list it, and Mercedes’ 2023 EQE manual shows no household outlet. Volkswagen’s UK ID.4 gets V2L from software version 6.

Can I run appliances while the car charges the station?

Keep them small. At 1,150 W of charging, a 1,920 W outlet has about 770 W left.

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How we did this

Method and sources

Car and station figures are the makers’ own, read on October 31, 2026 unless a source says otherwise. A station whose maker prints only amps is shown at amps times 120 V.

Our line is 12 A, the continuous figure printed on 15 A station inputs, or 80% of the car’s limit where that is lower. It is our judgement, drawn from those labels. Charge times use a 76% charging share, averaged from Anker’s and EcoFlow’s printed times. The car’s 90% inverter share is our assumption.

The pictures are illustrations we generated to show what these setups look like.

All 37 sources
  1. 1Hyundai USA, “KONA Electric: exterior Vehicle-to-Load, “supplying 1.9W” (the page’s typo for 1.9 kW), accessory sold separately”, read October 31, 2026; the page is still labelled 2025.
  2. 2Hyundai, “2026 KONA Electric owner’s manual: setting a battery discharging limit, 20% to 80%”, read October 31, 2026.
  3. 3Hyundai, “2026 KONA Electric owner’s manual: solving V2L problems”, read October 31, 2026.
  4. 4Hyundai, “Owner’s manual, Vehicle to Load: high-demand and inverter-sensitive devices, grounded plugs”, read October 31, 2026.
  5. 5AutoUA, “The 2026 Kona EV in the US: SE trim only, 48.6 kWh, V2L standard with a separate adapter”, read October 31, 2026.
  6. 6Volkswagen of America, “2026 ID.4: no V2L or bidirectional charging listed”, read October 31, 2026.
  7. 7Volkswagen UK, “Bidirectional charging: V2L on ID. models from software version 6, up to 3.6 kW at 230 V”, read October 31, 2026.
  8. 8Mercedes-Benz, “EQE Operator’s Manual, Edition C 2023 (US and Canada): 12 V sockets rated 180 W and USB ports, no household outlet listed”, read October 31, 2026.
  9. 9EV Database, “Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4MATIC (European listing, 2023-2024): V2L, V2H and V2G not supported”, read October 31, 2026.
  10. 10electrive, “UK: Volkswagen gives ID.4 and ID.5 larger batteries and V2L”, April 11, 2026.
  11. 11Kia, “Owner’s manual, Vehicle to Load: “Only use electrical appliances under 16 amps”; no heaters, air conditioners or medical equipment”, read October 19, 2026.
  12. 12Hyundai USA, “2027 IONIQ 5: Vehicle-to-Load 120 V outlets; 63 and 84 kWh packs; trims from $35,250”, read October 19, 2026.
  13. 13Kia Media, “2026 Kia EV9 specifications: 76.1 and 99.8 kWh packs”, read October 19, 2026.
  14. 14Nissan USA, “2026 Nissan LEAF press kit: 75 kWh, V2L 1,500 W with adapter”, read October 19, 2026.
  15. 15Tesla, “Powershare: vehicle to home and grid”, read October 19, 2026.
  16. 16The Drive, “The electric Ford F-150 can power your entire house for three days on a single charge”, May 19, 2021.
  17. 17Electrek, “Ford reveals new F-150 Lightning EREV plans, kills off EV version”, December 15, 2025.
  18. 18Lectron, “How to use the V2L feature of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 with an adapter (15 A, 120 V, NEMA 5-15)”, read October 19, 2026.
  19. 19Anker, “SOLIX S2000: default AC input 1,150 W, full in 2.3 hours; up to 1,600 W with UltraFast; Silent Mode at 600 W or below”, read October 31, 2026.
  20. 20Anker, “SOLIX C1000 Gen 2: AC charging 1,200 W; UltraFast 1,600 W, enabled in the app”, read October 31, 2026.
  21. 21Anker, “SOLIX C2000 Gen 2: 120 V, 15 A max under 3 hours, 1,800 W max, 12 A continuous; 100% in 88 minutes”, read October 31, 2026.
  22. 22Anker, “SOLIX F3800 Plus user manual, retailer copy: 15 A under 3 hours, 12 A continuous; AC charging power can be set in the app”, read October 31, 2026.
  23. 23EcoFlow, “DELTA 3 Plus: 1,500 W AC input, full in 56 minutes”, read October 31, 2026.
  24. 24EcoFlow, “DELTA 3 Plus user manual, hosted by REI: Adjustable Charging Speed”, read October 31, 2026.
  25. 25EcoFlow, “DELTA 3 Max user manual, retailer copy: Charge Speed switch, FAST and ADJUST; US input 100-120 V, 15 A”, read October 31, 2026.
  26. 26EcoFlow, “DELTA Pro 3 user manual, retailer copy: Charge Speed switch, FAST and ADJUST”, read October 31, 2026.
  27. 27Power Station Arena, “Mobile detailing guide: EcoFlow’s AC inputs as printed by the maker”, October 21, 2026.
  28. 28Power Station Arena, “EcoFlow TITAN 5000 tracker: AC input from the rating label”, read October 31, 2026.
  29. 29BLUETTI, “Apex 300 user manual, US, retailer copy: charging modes, default 12 A, 15 A cable, generator notes”, read October 31, 2026.
  30. 30BLUETTI, “AC180: 1,440 W AC input; Standard and Silent charging modes”, read October 31, 2026.
  31. 31BLUETTI, “Elite 200 V2: AC charging cable input 1,800 W max (charging + bypass)”, read October 31, 2026.
  32. 32BLUETTI, “AC200L user manual, retailer copy: Grid Self-adaption mode for generators and unstable grid voltage”, read October 31, 2026.
  33. 33DJI, “Power 2000: 1,800 W grid recharging between 50% and 80% charge; AC input 110-120 V, 15 A”, read October 21, 2026.
  34. 34DJI, “Power 2000 user manual, third-party copy: Fast and Standard charging modes”, read October 31, 2026.
  35. 35DJI, “Power 1000 V2 user manual, third-party copy: Fast and Standard charging modes”, read October 31, 2026.
  36. 36Big Boys With Cool Toys, “DJI Power 1000 V2 (NA): AC input 100-120 V, max current 13 A”, read October 31, 2026.
  37. 37Jackery, “Explorer 2000 v2: Emergency Super Charge”, read October 31, 2026.