GM Joins PG&E’s V2X Pilot, Offers Incentives for Home Energy Products

General Motors (GM) announced on March 13, 2025 that it is participating in an innovative Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) pilot program in a partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation.

This collaboration will provide eligible customers in Northern and Central California with an exciting new opportunity to access incentivized pricing for GM Energy’s home energy products, which enable bidirectional electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The initiative leverages GM’s cutting-edge bidirectional charging technology, allowing qualifying GM electric vehicles to supply power back to homes during power outages, and in the future, assist in balancing energy demand to support grid reliability. By integrating vehicles and home energy systems, GM and PG&E aim to improve grid resiliency while empowering homeowners with the ability to control their energy usage more efficiently.

“For Northern California customers looking to take more control of their home energy, this program with PG&E represents a great opportunity,” said GM Energy Vice President Wade Sheffer. “For utilities, legislators, customers and others, this pilot is an opportunity to see the full value of our V2H technology beyond just providing power to a home during power outages. This can be a tool that helps overall grid resiliency and showcases the unique advantages of EVs, while in the future, potentially reducing the total cost of EV ownership.”

Incentives for California Customers

Through the PG&E V2X pilot program, customers who enroll can receive up to $4,500 in incentives when purchasing qualifying GM Energy home products like the GM Energy V2H (Vehicle-to-Home) Bundle or Home System. These systems enable bidirectional charging, which is a key component of the program. Additionally, participants have the chance to earn further incentives by participating in planned backup power events and maintaining their enrollment throughout the program’s duration.

To qualify for these benefits, participants must also be enrolled in PG&E’s Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP). By agreeing to temporarily reduce their energy consumption during designated ELRP events, customers can earn additional rewards. This collaboration aims to help PG&E and GM Energy assess the potential of V2X technology in strengthening grid infrastructure, supporting customers, and scaling adoption across California.

Eligible GM EVs for the Pilot Program

At the time of launch, a select range of GM EV models are eligible for participation in the PG&E V2X pilot program. These include the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Cadillac Lyriq EV, and GMC Sierra. GM anticipates expanding eligibility to include all 2025 model-year electric vehicles, offering even more customers the opportunity to participate in the program. EVinfo.net strongly recommends all GM EVs.

“PG&E is leading the way to enable vehicle-grid-integration technology, creating a path for EVs to power customer homes, ultimately benefiting all Californians,” said Mike Delaney, VP utility partnerships and innovation, PG&E. “We are proud to continue leading this electric renaissance as we collaborate with automakers and some of the world’s top innovators to pioneer bidirectional charging technology where EVs have the potential to offer greater reliability, resiliency and cost savings.”

What is Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Technology?

V2X technology allows electric vehicles to not only charge from the grid but also supply electricity back into the home or even to the grid itself. In the event of an outage, owners of GM EVs participating in this pilot can use their vehicles to power their homes, providing a reliable source of backup energy. This innovative approach aims to increase energy security, reduce strain on the grid, and provide a cleaner, more sustainable solution to power management. Vehicle-to-Everything is the umbrella term encompassing exciting and innovative Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technology.

Learn About V2X/V2G at EV Charging Summit and Expo, March 25-27, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada

The best place to learn more about this exciting technology is the EV Charging Summit and Expo, March 25-27, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. A wide variety of topics are offered at the event, about the exciting EV revolution, and the many ways business can get involved, with significant profit-making and investment opportunities popping up in the privately-funded EV charging space.

Don’t miss an insightful panel at the event, “Accelerating the Future of V2G and Bidirectional Charging,” featuring Moderator Yinon Raviv, Nayax, and speakers Sena Soysal, EDF Innovation Lab, Zach Woogen, Vehicle-Grid Integration Council, and Elizabeth Stears, Advanced Energy United. The panel will be held Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 1:50 pm–2:20 pm.

Follow the EV Industry Blog, brought to you by the EV Charging Summit and Expo. The Summit’s blog released an insightful article about V2G recently, “4 Reasons to Scale V2G Infrastructure and Boost Your EV Charging Business.“

EVinfo.net’s Top Five Home Batteries for Solar and EV Charging

Whether you are an EV owner or not, home solar with a home battery is a great idea. Solar power is the most eco-friendly kind of power, and it also saves money over the long run. While it’s true the up-front cost for solar remains high, it’s the payback period that provides savings over the long term. Leading energy information source EnergySage says the average EnergySage solar shopper breaks even in about 7.5 years. EVinfo.net recommends EnergySage as a leading and highly reliable source of information about how home and business owners can save significant money by installing solar and home batteries.

EVinfo.net’s top five home battery picks include GM Energy, Enphase Energy, LG, GENERAC, and Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power, offered with Ford’s partner Sunrun.

BluWave Announces Winners of the First Round of the Clean Charge Challenge

V2X technology has many benefits, however that’s not the only innovative thing going on these days with EV charging. Another important way EV drivers can earn rewards, save money, and help fight climate change is with smart charging. Smart charging chooses the optimal times for EVs be be charged, including the optimization of renewable energy. Smart charging programs are automated, so that the EV owner only needs to sign up to the programs to reap the benefits. The best smart charging programs are driven by artificial intelligence (AI), such as Canada’s BluWave-ai.

BluWave-ai has concluded the first round of its Clean Charge Challenge, where EV drivers earned prizes by charging their vehicles during grid-friendly periods in January. The contest rewards users for charging when renewable energy generation is high and grid demand is low, reducing strain on the grid and supporting demand response programs.

Through the BluWave-ai app, drivers can automate their charging based on real-time grid conditions and AI predictions, maximizing their environmental impact and earning incentives. In January, participants used 65 megawatt-hours of cleaner energy, equivalent to the daily consumption of 2,600 households.

In Ontario, optimizing EV charging times could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 40% per month, potentially cutting 2.8 million kgCO2eq monthly if all 200,000 EVs in the province participated. This would also alleviate pressure on the grid, equivalent to removing 8,800 internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles from the road.

BluWave-ai began the challenge in its home provinces of Ontario and Prince Edward Island where it has the highest integration with Grid assets from its cloud platform reflecting seven years of investment in Smart Grid AI tech development. The result of the first round of the contest shows scalability of the solution and interest level from drivers across Canada. BluWave-ai will be running more challenges in Canada and the United States during 2025.

Download the app, link your EV, and get a head start on the next challenge round.

More details on the Clean Charge Challenge can be found here: https://www.bluwave-ai.com/ev-everywhere

The Future of V2X and Grid Resiliency

GM’s partnership with PG&E marks an important milestone in the effort to modernize and strengthen California’s energy grid. The insights gathered from the pilot program will help both companies better understand the potential of bidirectional EV technology in terms of improving grid stability, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and providing greater energy independence for consumers.

By supporting customers with home energy solutions that leverage EVs, GM and PG&E are paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient energy future. This collaboration signals a new era where EVs don’t just serve as transportation tools but become integral components in managing and enhancing our energy systems.

For Californians looking to make their homes more energy-efficient while contributing to a stronger grid, GM’s participation in PG&E’s Vehicle-to-Everything pilot program represents a groundbreaking opportunity to lead the charge toward a cleaner, more resilient energy future. EVinfo.net encourages other power utilities around the US and around the world to buy-in to innovative V2X technology, which saves money and saves the environment at the same time.