Picture this: a storm knocks the power out in your neighborhood, but your lights stay on. Your fridge keeps humming. Your Wi-Fi stays connected. And it’s all because your electric vehicle, parked right there in the garage, is feeding electricity back into your house. That’s the promise behind GM’s rapidly expanding vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology, and it’s picking up serious steam heading into 2026.
- Twelve General Motors EV models across Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac now support bidirectional vehicle-to-home charging.
- GM sold over 246,000 vehicles equipped with V2H technology in 2025, making it one of the largest suppliers of backup-capable EVs in the U.S.
- GM Energy is looking into a leasing program for its home energy management systems and PowerBank home batteries to make V2H tech more affordable.
How Vehicle-to-Home Charging Actually Works
Vehicle-to-home is a bidirectional charging capability that allows a V2H-capable GM EV to send power from its battery back into a properly equipped home, helping to run appliances or home basics during outages. Think of your EV battery as a giant portable power station sitting in your garage. By sending stored energy back into a home, owners can offset peak electricity costs or maintain power during grid outages.
To get the system up and running, you’ll need the GM Energy PowerShift Charger paired with the GM Energy V2H Enablement Kit. The PowerShift Charger uses a CCS1 plug and can supply DC electricity from the EV battery to the home, while the V2H Enablement Kit includes a Home Hub, a 9.6-kW inverter, and a dark start battery to jump-start the system off-grid. Bundled together, the V2H system runs about $8,098 for hardware alone. Installation can cost thousands more.
An EV equipped with V2H works like a backup generator on wheels, but without the noise and emissions of a gas or diesel generator. And if you have solar panels on your roof, the combination gets even better. Excess daytime solar generation can be stored in the vehicle and used when needed.
Which GM EVs Support V2H?
The list of compatible models has grown fast. V2H-capable GM EVs include the 2024-2025 Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV, and Cadillac LYRIQ, along with the 2025 Cadillac OPTIQ, 2025 Cadillac ESCALADE IQ, 2026 Cadillac VISTIQ, 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ, 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V, 2026 HUMMER EV SUV, and 2026 HUMMER EV Pickup. That covers a wide range of price points and body styles, from compact SUVs to full-size trucks. With GMC electric vehicles like the Sierra EV and HUMMER EV both on the list, truck fans have solid options for home backup power too.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV, with its 200 kWh battery pack capable of providing up to 10.2 kW of power flow, can keep a house running for up to 21 days. That’s not a typo. Three full weeks of backup power from a pickup truck.
A Leasing Option to Lower the Barrier
One of the biggest hurdles with V2H has been cost. Buying the full hardware bundle and paying for installation can easily push past $15,000. GM knows this, and they’re doing something about it.
GM Energy is working to make V2H tech more affordable by developing a leasing program for its home energy management systems and PowerBank home batteries, giving homeowners the option to pay monthly rather than upfront, similar to a vehicle lease. GM says more details on the lease program will come later this year.
There are also utility partnerships sweetening the deal in certain markets. Pacific Gas and Electric’s vehicle-to-everything pilot in California offers incentives of up to $4,500 for eligible participants using qualifying GM Energy products. In Texas, GM’s “Free Charge Nights” program with Reliant Energy allows EV owners to charge overnight at no cost.
Vehicle-to-Grid Is Coming Next
V2H is only part of the story. GM Energy has seen positive internal testing for vehicle-to-grid capability and is now working to certify it with local utilities. That means your EV could eventually send power not only to your home, but also back to the grid during high-demand periods. Over time, this technology will allow vehicles to send excess electricity back to the local power grid to help balance supply with demand.
Every GM Energy system connects through a smartphone app, allowing customers to monitor energy flow and learn how to use their system well. It’s the kind of setup that lets you keep tabs on everything from your couch.
Is V2H Worth the Investment?
Power outages are becoming more common across the United States, from hurricanes along the Gulf Coast to wildfires in California and severe winter storms in Texas. If you live in an area where the grid goes down a few times a year, a V2H system can pay for itself in peace of mind alone. Add in the ability to charge during off-peak hours and use that stored energy when rates spike, and the financial case starts looking pretty strong.
Only a few other manufacturers offer V2H right now, including Ford with the now-retired F-150 Lightning and Tesla with the Cybertruck. GM’s lineup of 12 compatible models gives it one of the widest selections in the market. Whether you’re after a family SUV or a heavy-duty truck, there’s likely a V2H-capable GM EV that fits your life. The technology is real, the model lineup is wide, and the pricing is only getting friendlier. Your garage might just become the most useful room in the house.
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