GM Activates V2G for 250,000 Existing EVs

GM activated vehicle-to-grid capability for more than 250,000 bidirectional-capable vehicles already on US roads, requiring no new hardware.

GM calls on utilities to treat EVs as grid assets. The company issued an open letter urging utilities and regulators to use parked electric vehicles for vehicle-to-grid technology. GM highlighted pressure on the grid from heat waves, extreme weather, and AI data center growth.

The automaker stated that its more than 250,000 bidirectional-capable vehicles in the US today have enough combined battery capacity to power roughly 120,000 average US homes for up to a week. GM plans to make the bidirectional capability standard on future EVs.

Real-world pilots show growing participation. GM is testing V2G with PG&E in California and projects over 52,000 GM EVs participating in grid-balancing programs by 2030. In Michigan, the company works with DTE Energy using employee homes to build reliable backup capacity matching actual owner usage patterns.

An International Energy Agency analysis cited by GM shows V2G can deliver the largest hourly energy flexibility of any technology evaluated. The IEA sees 250 million EVs globally by 2030 in a Stated Policies Scenario.

GM outlines three collaboration areas for utilities and regulators. The company called for better customer enrollment through education and simpler sign-up for utility programs and time-of-use rates, with managed charging as an on-ramp. It also urged modernized tariffs that pay EV owners for discharging during peaks.

Finally, GM pushed for streamlined paperwork, engineering reviews, and interconnection processes for bidirectional chargers. The goal is to let owners buy equipment, plug in, and contribute without excessive hurdles.

The announcement came at a GM event in San Francisco on June 9. It builds on the company's vision for integrating EV batteries with homes, first outlined two years ago in Detroit, and follows expansion of its EV lineup to 12 vehicles.