Toyota Reveals New Battery System That Can Power Your Home

As the automotive world moves toward EVs and electrification, carmakers are increasingly focused on batteries and energy storage systems, some of which have jumped the gap between autos and home ownership. Tesla has offered a home battery system for a while, and now Toyota’s in the fray with a new home power battery system.

Toyota’s O-Uchi Kyuden System in Japan is designed to support home power usage in normal times and during emergencies. The 8.7-kWh battery can supply electricity to the whole home when a power outage occurs, and it can store excess electricity generated by solar panels. The battery system can also connect to hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric, or fuel cell vehicles to supplement its output. This is similar to what Ford has built with the F-150 Lightning and F-150 PowerBoost.

Owners can help power their homes using an EV connected to the battery system. Owners could theoretically charge their new Toyota bZ4X EV using a Toyota home battery system and then use the car to provide power back to the system in an emergency.

It’s worth noting that Japan’s power grid and the rules around usage are different than they are here, so the system’s current available configurations don’t translate entirely to an American audience. It’s also important to state that most of Toyota’s literature on the battery system assumes that most people have solar panels. They are not required to use the battery system, but it’s clear Toyota believes solar helps the batteries provide their best economic benefit.

That said, four usage modes are available that alter the battery system’s behavior. The normal mode stores power during off-peak times, such as during the day, when electricity is cheapest. If the user has a solar panel, it reduces the load on that system and can help return power to the grid for people who live in places with laws that allow selling power back to the system.

The energy-saving mode allows power consumption at night, after the batteries have been charged during low-cost times. The smart mode charges the batteries using electricity at midnight and again during the day using solar panels. Storage mode focuses the battery on retaining electricity for an emergency.