General Motors will equip more of its upcoming Ultium-based EVs with the vehicle-to-home (V2H) feature that allows users to export power from the cars’ high-voltage batteries to their homes, essentially transforming the vehicles into backup generators.
Previously, this feature was announced for the recently revealed 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST pickup, but now the American automotive giant says its entire lineup of new Ultium-based EVs will get V2H until the 2026 model year.
In other words, the 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1, 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, 2024 Cadillac Lyriq, and the upcoming Cadillac Escalade IQ will be compatible with V2H.
It’s worth noting that General Motors specifically said new Ultium-based EVs, meaning the GMC Hummer EV is not included in the list, at least for now. However, back in March, GM announced that both the pickup and the SUV variants of the 2024 Hummer EV will get a more powerful Level 2 onboard charger as standard equipment on some trim levels that enables vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, allowing users to export power from the battery at up to 6 kW via an adapter.
“GM Energy’s growing ecosystem of energy management solutions will help accelerate GM’s vision of an all-electric future, by further expanding access to even more benefits that EVs can offer,” said Wade Sheffer, vice president, GM Energy. “By integrating V2H across our entire Ultium-based portfolio, we are making this groundbreaking technology available to more consumers, with benefits that extend well beyond the vehicle itself, and at a broader scale than ever before.”
To make use of the vehicles’ V2H feature, customers need to upgrade their homes with one of the three equipment bundles revealed by GM Energy last month: Ultium Home V2H Bundle, Ultium Home Energy System, or Ultium Home Energy Storage Bundle.
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The first comes with an AC charger that supports bidirectional charging, as well as an Enablement Kit that adds an inverted and “dark start” battery. With this base bundle, owners of compatible EVs can recharge their vehicles at up to 19.2 kW and – when needed – power their homes from the car’s high-voltage battery at a maximum discharge rate of 9.6 kW.
The Ultium Home Energy System adds a GM PowerBank stationary storage unit that’s connected to the V2H Enablement Kit, with two available options: 5 kW/10.6 kWh and 7 kW/17.7 kWh variants.
The third pack, the Ultium Home Energy Storage Bundle, comes with one of GM’s PowerBank offerings, an inverter, and a home hub, and is intended for people who want to have backup battery storage without an electric vehicle.
Every one of these bundles can be integrated with a photovoltaic system, with SunPower being GM’s exclusive solar provider and preferred EV charger installer.
