Energy Empire How My Retired EV Ended Up Powering Homes in Ukraine
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Mar 26, 2026 Philippe Dunsky, a Canadian energy consultant focused on utility change and vehicle-grid integration, tells how his totaled Tesla's battery was repurposed to power homes in Ukraine. The conversation traces that car's journey, explores using EV batteries for backup and grid services, and examines barriers to wide-scale vehicle-to-grid adoption and repurposing.
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EV Batteries Are Strategic Backup During Blackouts
- Salvaged EV batteries become high-value emergency resources during wartime blackouts.
- A 90 kWh pack (like Philippe's Tesla) can heat a home for days and replace multiple stationary batteries when local transformers are bombed.
Repurposing EV Packs Is Obvious But Operationally Hard
- Repurposing end-of-vehicle batteries is inevitable but operationally hard today.
- Challenges include varying chemistries, pack designs, lack of labeling, and the need for automated testing and sorting at scale.
Focus On Vehicle To Grid As Near Term Resource
- Prioritize vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration as the nearer-term value play before massive recycling needs arise.
- Utilities can count on pooled EV capacity as a peaking resource if standards, rates, and coordination are fixed.