Tesla Model 3 and Model Y get V2L, turning the battery into a power outlet, but not in Europe yet

Tesla has officially switched on Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) for the Model 3 and Model Y. In plain terms, you can use the car's battery to run an electrical device: a space heater, power tools, a kettle or a whole camping setup. The rollout started on October 1 in China, Australia and New Zealand, and South Korea joined a few hours later. The news first spread on X through Sawyer Merritt, who noted that it applies to 2027 model year cars and that more countries will follow.

There are two catches: you need an adapter that's sold separately, and cars that have already been delivered can't get the feature added later.

What Tesla announced

In China, Tesla announced the change on October 1 with a set of posters on its official channels. According to the announcement, as reported by IT之家 and Electrek, every Model 3 and Model Y currently on sale can now export up to 2,200 W of AC power at 220 V. Tesla's own example is a camping one: a 600 W rice cooker, a 1 kW hot pot and a 600 W kettle all running at the same time.

To use it you need Tesla's Outlet Adapter, which plugs into the charge port. In China it costs 599 yuan. The only exception is the three-row Model Y L, which doesn't need the adapter.

The same announcement also gave the Chinese Model 3 a 16-inch center screen, up from 15.4 inches, and a light gray interior option with a black headliner.

Australia: more power, same rule

In Australia, Tesla says all new Model 3 and Model Y deliveries from now on support V2L, which the company calls Powershare. On the Model 3 it covers every 2027 model year variant. The Australian adapter costs A$145 and, according to Zecar, delivers up to 3.45 kW from a 15 A plug and 2.3 kW from a standard 10 A plug.

The less welcome part: Tesla has confirmed that existing Model 3s can't be retrofitted, because the feature depends on the new model year's hardware. For older Model Y cars, the company hasn't given a clear answer yet.

Where V2L came from at Tesla

The feature isn't brand new at Tesla. Until now it was limited to a handful of models:

• Cybertruck had it from launch, including whole-home backup.
• Model Y L got it in China in late 2025.
• In the US, the Model Y Premium and Model Y Performance have had it since August, with up to 2.4 kW through an $80 adapter that attaches to the Mobile Connector.

Rivals got there long ago. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has offered V2L since 2021, with 3.6 kW and the adapter included in the box, while Chinese brands such as BYD, MG and XPeng offer it across most of their lineups. The XPeng G6 goes up to 6 kW.

What it means for drivers

For drivers in Romania and the rest of Europe, nothing changes yet: Europe isn't part of this launch, and Tesla only says that other countries will follow. Still, there are two encouraging signs. The Model 3 sold in Europe also comes from the Shanghai factory, just like the cars for China and Australia. And Tesla already makes an adapter for the Type 2 charge port, the same one used across Europe.

If you want V2L, ask when you order whether the car is a 2027 model year and whether the adapter is sold in your market. And keep the limits in mind: 2.2 kW is enough for a fridge, a laptop, a small heater or a power tool during a blackout, not for the whole house. Third-party bidirectional adapters aren't covered by Tesla's warranty, so it's safer to wait for the official one.