Toyota Prius to power your home

Toyota has started selling power outlets for its Prius hybrid vehicles, giving owners the option to power their homes.

But charging your car via the plug still isn’t the most sophisticated method in the world, so why turn the situation on its head, you might be thinking? The ¥63,000 option (around £487) has been created to give hybrid owners the ability to power their homes in a blackout.

Hybrid cars: pros and cons

First Drive: Toyota Prius Plug-in (2012 onwards)

Two 100-volt outlets allow the car’s fully charged battery to supply enough electricity to cover four day’s power usage in the average home.

The system’s maximum output stands at 1,500 watts, meaning you could run a fridge-freezer to keep your food supply healthy and a TV for a little bit of entertainment.

The technology is called vehicle-to-grid and alloys power from your personal transport to be utilised by household appliances in an energy crisis.

Even when stationary, the Prius’ on board 1.8-litre petrol engine will kick in to recharge the battery pack and ensure continued power transmission to the machines you require power for.

Although the official option is relatively new, Prius owners have used similar technology to deliver electricity in times of need.

In 2004 American Christopher Swinney plugged his Prius hybrid into his house’s backup uninterruptable power supply (converting the battery’s DC output into the AC needed for household white goods) following a blackout from a hurricane, running the refrigerator and the properties lights off the car’s battery pack.

Hybrid cars: pros and cons

First Drive: Toyota Prius Plug-in (2012 onwards)

On Bing: see images of the Toyota Prius

Find out how much a Toyota Prius is worth on Auto Trader