Dive Brief:
- The first vehicle-to-home charging products are now available to residential customers through General Motors’ new subsidiary GM Energy, the automaker announced last week in a press release.
- GM Energy’s V2H charging bundle includes the necessary hardware to enable the transfer of energy between a compatible Ultium-based GM electric vehicle and a properly equipped home.
- The first vehicle compatible with GM Energy’s bidirectional charging technology is the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV First-Edition. However, GM will continue to expand V2H capability across its lineup of Ultium-based EVs by model year 2026.
Dive Insight:
GM and other automakers aim to harness the stored energy of their EV batteries to supply power to a home during a power outage or at peak demand times when energy costs are typically higher. GM’s Ultium Home V2H Enablement Kit for example, includes a power inverter, home hub and dark start battery delivering 9.6 kilowatts of discharge power from a vehicle.
GM Energy’s various V2H charging products will be offered as bundles, allowing residential customers to pick the best package for their needs. Installation will be provided through GM Energy’s installation partner Qmerit, which will also assist customers in obtaining the required permits and connecting the system to local utility infrastructure.
GM Energy’s products can be accessed through the automaker’s vehicle companion apps and GM’s Energy Cloud software platform, allowing customers to manage the power transfer between their GM EV and home.
Following the 2024 Silverado EV First Edition, GM plans to offer V2H capability for the electric GMC Sierra pickup, Equinox and Blazer, as well as the Cadillac Lyriq and upcoming Escalade IQ.
“With the introduction of these new offerings, it has never been easier for our customers to access the expanded benefits of a holistic EV ecosystem, helping to mitigate the impacts of power outages and having the ability to offset certain energy costs over time,” said Wade Sheffer, vice president of GM Energy, in the press release.
Ford also offers a similar V2H charging kit for the electric F-150 Lightning. It requires the purchase of Ford’s Charge Station Pro that’s paired with the automaker’s Home Integration System to enable bidirectional charging. The F-150 Lightning, equipped with a larger extended-range battery, can power an average home for up to three days, according to Ford.
In December, Volkswagen announced it was launching a vehicle-to-home pilot program with its partner HagerEnergy GmbH in Sweden. The automaker said it was one of the first to provide a bidirectional charging solution based on the Combined Charging System standard used by EVs in Europe.
GM Energy says it will launch additional residential products for purchase later this year, including stationary energy storage and solar integration. The company set up a website for customers to learn more about V2H bidirectional charging technology, connect with product specialists and have any questions answered.
