America's favorite EVs just gained a very handy feature. The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y can now help back up your home in a blackout, the company announced Tuesday.

Before, Tesla's only model with vehicle-to-home (V2H) capability was the Cybertruck. Now the Model 3 and Model Y join a growing list of EVs that can use their big battery packs as, essentially, emergency generators. Those include lots of Chevy and Cadillac EVs, plus the Kia EV9 and Nissan Leaf.

But not just any Model 3 or Model Y will be able to feed power back to your home, and the Powershare feature won't work with all home charging setups.

Tesla says the feature works in vehicles bought on or after October 1, and in select vehicles purchased before then too.

It also requires a Powerwall, which is Tesla's battery-storage system, plus a Wall Connector. The Powerwall 3 costs around $15,000 (including installation), while a Tesla Wall Connector costs $585. Once the whole system is installed, Tesla says the Model 3 or Model Y can output 15 kW back to the home.

Since the Cybertruck includes an onboard DC-to-AC converter, it doesn't require as elaborate or expensive a setup to function as a backup power source. Cybertruck owners need only install a Universal Wall Connector and a Powershare Gateway. They're available for $1,970 via Tesla's Powershare Home Backup Bundle.

If you already have a Powerwall, then the idea of backing up your home using your Model 3 or Model Y may not be terribly exciting.

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