Cybersecurity Policy Report, House Bill Targets Electric Vehicle Threat to Power Grid, (May 13, 2026)
Electric vehicles (EVs) that might pose a threat to the U.S. power grid would be banned from U.S. roadways under legislation introduced by Rep. Keith Self (R., Texas).
The Cybersecurity and Hardware Assurance for Resilient Grid Electrification (CHARGE) Act (HR 8768) aims to address an emerging threat from EVs, Rep. Self said today in a news release.
“Under Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology, EVs plugged into the grid would be called upon to dump power back into the system during peak demand. Tesla Cybertrucks, Ford F-150 Lightnings, and vehicles from eight other manufacturers are already equipped with this bidirectional capability,” he explained.
“While sold as a solution for renewable energy instability, this creates a serious national security risk. Every EV can receive remote over-the-air updates,” he noted.
“If hostile actors—whether foreign governments or compromised manufacturers—gain control, a single coordinated signal could instruct thousands of vehicles to charge or discharge simultaneously. The resulting surge or drop in demand could instantly destabilize grid frequency and voltage, triggering blackouts and crippling infrastructure,” Rep. Self warned.
The CHARGE Act would establish “strong cybersecurity and hardware standards for any EV connected to the grid” and would block “high-risk foreign entities from accessing America’s power system through vehicle fleets,” he said.
“We cannot afford to give our adversaries an easy way to weaponize thousands of vehicles at once. The CHARGE Act ensures we secure this critical infrastructure before these vulnerabilities are exploited,” Rep. Self added.
The text of the legislation wasn’t immediately available. The bill was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
News: FederalLegislation DataSecurity