Thunder rolled through the neighborhood and the streetlights stuttered. I watched an EV blink its charging light and thought: what if that car could keep the lights on for the whole block? You and I are about to follow how Massachusetts is testing a program that asks parked cars to become active players on the grid.
My neighbor’s EV sat plugged in as the lights flickered.
Five companies—Eversource, National Grid, EnergyHub, Sunrun and The Mobility House—have teamed up on a trial called ConnectedSolutions. The program will let owners sell stored energy back to the grid during peak demand, and organizers expect roughly 60 customers in the initial round.
That cohort already includes 45 residential units and 21 electric school buses, and officials with MassCEC have opened a new round of applications. If you’re wondering whether you must live in a particular zip code or have a garage, the short answer is no—participants only need a home assessment to confirm the wiring and charger setup will work with the equipment.
The car, when bidirectional-capable, can act like a silent power station in your driveway.
On my last electric bill, 34¢ per kWh felt personal.
Massachusetts electricity rates hover around $0.34/kWh (≈€0.31/kWh), or about $310/month (≈€285/month) on average, according to EnergySage. That’s roughly 66% higher than the U.S. average, which is why utilities and homeowners are eyeing every available electron.
I talk to utilities enough to know their pain: meeting a summer peak can cost millions. ConnectedSolutions asks parked EVs to sell back energy during those crunch hours, shaving peaks and offering credit to owners who participate.
How does vehicle-to-grid work?
At a technical level, bidirectional chargers and compatible vehicles allow energy flow both ways: charging the battery and discharging it under grid control. Platforms such as EnergyHub and services like GM Energy or Tesla’s PowerShare manage the signals and settlement—matching a car’s stored capacity to grid needs while protecting battery health.
A school bus idling at pickup offered a clear test case.
ConnectedSolutions includes electric school buses and medium-duty EVs so utilities can see how larger batteries behave on repeated cycles. The Mobility House’s Russ Vare pointed to emergency backup and grid services as reasons these vehicles are valuable; in his words, bidirectional charging adds both resilience and revenue streams.
For communities, adding buses and fleet vehicles is a way to scale quickly—turning single vehicles into neighborhood-level capacity.
Can my EV sell power back to the grid?
Not yet every EV. Models from GM (Chevrolet Silverado, Cadillac Lyriq via GM Energy), Kia EV9, and certain Volkswagen Group and Volvo cars offer or plan V2G capability. Tesla’s PowerShare Grid Support is live in select Texas markets. If your car supports bidirectional charging and your home passes the equipment assessment, you can apply to programs like ConnectedSolutions.
I watched a technician test a charger on a cold morning.
The practical barrier for many owners is hardware and wiring. You may need a bidirectional-capable charger and an assessment to confirm your panel can handle the extra equipment. Utilities and installers will check supply capacity and safety interlocks before approving participation.
Programs will handle enrollment logistics, control signals and payments through platforms such as EnergyHub, while Sunrun and utilities manage on-ramps for residential and fleet participants.
Do I need a special charger for V2G?
Yes. V2G requires chargers and vehicles that both speak the same bidirectional protocol. Your home might also need upgrades to its electrical service. ConnectedSolutions includes that assessment step so you won’t be accepted until the setup is confirmed safe and compatible.
For Massachusetts drivers, the math is simple: high rates and rising fuel costs make selling stored energy attractive. There are roughly 150,000 EVs registered in the state today, and that pool is only going to get larger. I’ve seen utilities move from pilot planning to operation quickly when the incentives line up.
This is a program backed by recognizable names—Eversource, National Grid, EnergyHub, Sunrun, The Mobility House and MassCEC—and it plugs into national efforts by carmakers and energy platforms to make parked cars useful grid assets.
The idea is straightforward: a car can be a neighborhood battery, a water tower for electricity.
So if your driveway holds a battery with unused capacity, will you sign up and sell spare electrons to your neighbors for a few extra dollars, or keep that reserve for your next storm-night peace of mind?
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