- Exciting News for GM EV Owners: Discounts Available for Home-Backup Power Hardware
- Additional Incentives for Opting to Suspend Charging During Peak Times
- Paving the Way for Future Vehicle-to-Grid Programs
General Motors electric vehicle owners in select areas of California may be eligible for a $4,500 discount on home-backup power hardware through a new pilot program in collaboration with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).
Announced recently, this program aims to explore the potential of bidirectional charging in GM EVs to power homes and support the grid, known as vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. The discounted hardware is one of the incentives for GM EV owners who are PG&E customers.
The program offers “incentivized pricing for qualifying GM Energy home energy products” to customers within PG&E’s service area, covering Northern and Central California.
Cadillac Escalade IQ and GM Home Energy suite
GM introduced the PowerShift Charger for home power backup in 2023, along with the Enablement Kit and PowerBank home energy storage. The latest GM EVs are bidirectional-capable, with plans to extend this feature to all 2025 models soon.
Participants can earn extra incentives by participating in backup power events and enrolling in PG&E’s Emergency Load Reduction Program. By choosing to halt charging during specific times, EV owners can receive additional rewards.
Cadillac Lyriq and GM Home Energy suite
GM and PG&E will analyze charging patterns to assess the benefits of bidirectional technology for customers and grid resilience. While the focus is on home backup power, this initiative could set the stage for broader grid support using EVs.
Ford offers bidirectional capabilities for the F-150 Lightning, focusing on home backup. The Fermata FE-20 is currently the only approved V2G charger, beyond pilot programs, for the Nissan Leaf.