GM Energy just debuted vehicle-to-home (V2H) bidirectional EV chargers – here’s how GM’s EVs will keep the lights on.

Once installed, GM Energy’s home EV chargers will enable customers to send power from a compatible GM EV to their home in the face of increasing power outages across the US.

Customers can purchase GM Energy’s V2H bundle through current GM mobile brand apps. It’s initially rolling out in five states – California, Florida, Michigan, New York, and Texas – with plans to expand over time.

At $7,299, the bundle doesn’t come cheap. It consists of the GM Energy Powershift Charger at $1,699, and GM Energy V2H Enablement Kit at $5,600. Installation costs and taxes won’t be included and will vary, depending on a home’s existing setup and other things. GM has partnered with home EV charging installer Qmerit.

But it’s comparable to other battery storage costs – a Powerwall costs $11,500 with a solar installation through Tesla – and GM’s system eliminates the need to install battery storage.

The first of GM’s EVs to be compatible with the GM Energy home product suite is the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV First-Edition RST, which is expected to be available to customers this summer.

The Silverado will be equipped with V2H bidirectional charging technology. With an enormous 200 kWh battery pack that can provide up to 10.2kW of power flow, the electric pickup is capable of powering an entire house for 21 days.

GM says it will continue to roll out V2H bidirectional charging technology across its Ultium-based EVs by model year 2026. That will include the 2024 Sierra EV Denali, the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, and the 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ.

Some eligible 2024 GM EVs will require a dealership or over-the-air update to enable bidirectional charging.

Electrek‘s Jameson Dow will demo GM Energy’s new V2H products on May 9 and will report back with insights.

GM Energy is ready to compete with the likes of Tesla and its Powerwalls – it says it will sell stationary battery storage and solar integration later this year.

Read more: Chevy just revealed the Silverado EV First-Edition RST specs and it’s got 440 miles of range

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