General Motors (GM) announced on Tuesday its plans to expand the value of electrification beyond vehicles by building an integrated energy ecosystem that connects electric vehicles (EVs) with home energy systems, public charging, and commercial energy storage systems (ESS).
The automaker unveiled this electrification and energy technology strategy at its GM Empower event held in San Francisco.
The event showcased GM’s technological vision, which extends beyond vehicles to encompass the entire energy infrastructure, and included discussions on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, energy pass, and ESS-related initiatives.
V2G is a concept that utilizes electric vehicle batteries to reduce strain on the power grid. It allows EV owners to charge their batteries during off-peak hours and sell excess power back to the grid during peak times when electricity rates are higher.
The energy pass service streamlines public charging searches, usage, and payments within GM’s brand apps in the U.S. and Canada. It aims to simplify the often complex public charging process into a seamless user experience.
GM also revealed plans to leverage its battery expertise in off-vehicle power systems within the commercial energy sector. The company intends to expand its energy storage technology portfolio, developing next-generation sodium-ion batteries and repurposing used EV batteries for grid-scale energy storage systems.
Sterling Anderson, GM’s Senior Vice President of Global Product and Chief Product Officer (CPO), stated that they’re at a pivotal moment where it needs to reassess the relationship between mobility, computing, and global energy infrastructure. GM is committed to easing grid pressure by harnessing both grid-scale storage and distributed energy resources from EVs.