GM thinks EVs can help offset AI's energy suck with vehicle-to-grid tech

Overview

General Motors is repositioning its electric vehicles and batteries as a grid resource to help absorb the surging electricity demand from AI data centers. At its Empower 2026 event in San Francisco on June 9, GM activated vehicle-to-grid capability for more than 250,000 existing EVs through software alone, announced a sodium-ion battery partnership with startup Peak Energy for grid-scale storage, and rolled out a universal public-charging feature. The strategy turns parked cars and retired battery packs into power that flows back to homes and the grid.

Key Takeaways

GM switched on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) for more than 250,000 EVs already on the road using a firmware update, so no new hardware is needed for owners with compatible home energy systems.
The company is entering grid-scale storage by developing sodium-ion batteries with startup Peak Energy, a cheaper and more abundant alternative to lithium aimed at stationary use rather than vehicles.
GM is deploying about 10,000 retired EV battery packs as second-life storage, including power for Crusoe's AI data center in Sparks, Nevada.
A new feature called Energy Pass aims to simplify public charging by giving drivers a single universal interface across charging networks.
GM and PG&E project that roughly 52,000 participating vehicles in Northern California could supply enough power for every home in San Francisco for about half a day.
The push frames EVs as part of the solution to AI-driven electricity demand rather than an added strain on the grid.

Stats & Key Facts

#More than 250,000 GM EVs on the road are now enabled for bidirectional vehicle-to-grid charging.
#About 52,000 participating Northern California vehicles could power every San Francisco home for roughly half a day, per GM and PG&E projections.
#Roughly 10,000 second-life GM battery packs are being deployed into energy infrastructure with Redwood Materials.
#A GM Michigan facility will use about 100 retired packs to deliver 7.2 MWh of dispatchable energy, projected to save more than $3 million in electricity costs over its lifespan.
#Peak Energy claims its sodium-ion storage systems deliver roughly 20% cost reductions versus existing systems, with 99% uptime.
#Peak Energy holds pre-signed storage agreements including 720 MWh with Jupiter Power and 1.5 GWh with Energy Vault.

GM thinks EVs can help offset AI's energy suck with vehicle-to-grid tech

Vehicle-to-Grid Activated for 250,000 EVs Through Software

The headline move turns cars parked in driveways into a two-way power source.

›More than 250,000 GM EVs already on the road support bidirectional charging, and a firmware update switches on full vehicle-to-grid function.
›Owners with existing GM Energy vehicle-to-home systems get the upgrade with no new hardware to buy or install.
›V2G lets a car send stored electricity back to the home or the wider grid, not only draw power from it.
›GM is pairing the rollout with utility partners including PG&E and DTE Energy to coordinate when cars feed power back.

How Parked Cars Become a Backstop for the Grid

The core idea is simple: most cars sit unused most of the day, and an EV battery holds a large amount of electricity. When many vehicles are connected at once, that stored energy adds up to a meaningful resource a utility can call on during peak demand.

GM and PG&E illustrated the scale with a projection that roughly 52,000 participating vehicles in Northern California could supply enough electricity to power every home in San Francisco for about half a day. That kind of pooled capacity helps utilities smooth out spikes without building new power plants.

Sodium-Ion Batteries and the Peak Energy Partnership

GM is moving beyond vehicles into stationary grid storage with a different battery chemistry.

›GM is developing sodium-ion cells with startup Peak Energy, backed by a strategic investment from GM Ventures.
›Sodium is far more abundant and less expensive than the lithium and other metals used in vehicle batteries.
›GM VP Kurt Kelty cited a wider operating temperature range and potential for longer cycle life, which reduces the need for active cooling and lowers system complexity.
›Prototype cells are slated to be built at GM's Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren, Michigan, with work targeted to begin by the end of 2026.
›GM plans to make the cells while Peak Energy integrates them into full battery energy storage systems.

Second-Life Packs Powering an AI Data Center in Nevada

Retired EV batteries are getting a second job storing energy for industrial sites.

Working with Redwood Materials, GM is deploying about 10,000 used EV battery packs into energy infrastructure rather than recycling them right away. One deployment supplies power for Crusoe's AI data center in Sparks, Nevada, tying the program directly to the data-center demand driving the broader strategy.

At a GM facility in Michigan, roughly 100 second-life packs will provide 7.2 MWh of dispatchable energy at 1.5 MW of output. GM projects the system will save more than $3 million in electricity costs over its operating life by storing cheap power and using it during expensive peak periods.

Energy Pass and Simpler Public Charging

GM also addressed a long-standing pain point for EV drivers.

›A feature called Energy Pass aims to give drivers one universal interface for public charging across networks.
›The goal is to cut down on juggling multiple apps and accounts when charging away from home.
›The charging update sits alongside the home and grid features as part of GM's wider energy push.

Why AI Data Center Demand Is Driving the Strategy

Data centers running AI workloads consume large and growing amounts of electricity, putting fresh strain on grids that were already adding renewable and EV load. GM's pitch reframes its vehicles and batteries as part of the answer to that demand rather than a competing drain on it.

By combining V2G from cars, second-life packs for industrial sites, and new sodium-ion storage, GM is assembling several layers of flexible capacity. The approach also signals GM moving deeper into the energy business, including selling into the wholesale electricity market.

GM's Broader Battery Roadmap

The energy announcements arrived alongside related manufacturing milestones.

›GM's Ultium Cells joint venture with LG Energy Solution began producing lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells in June 2026, ahead of an originally planned 2027 start.
›LFP cells target commercial and industrial uses where lower cost matters more than maximum range.
›Peak Energy reports pre-signed storage deals, including 720 MWh with Jupiter Power and 1.5 GWh with Energy Vault, showing early demand for sodium-ion systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and how does it work for GM owners?

V2G lets an EV send stored electricity back to the home or the grid, not only pull power in. GM enabled it for more than 250,000 existing EVs with a software update, so owners who already have a GM Energy vehicle-to-home system do not need new hardware.

Why is GM using sodium-ion batteries instead of lithium?

Sodium is more abundant and cheaper than lithium, and GM says sodium-ion cells handle a wider temperature range and offer longer potential cycle life. Those traits suit stationary grid storage, where cost and durability matter more than the energy density a car needs for range.

How does this connect to AI data centers?

AI data centers consume large and growing amounts of electricity, pressuring the grid. GM is positioning its EVs, retired battery packs, and new sodium-ion storage as flexible capacity to help meet that demand, including supplying power to Crusoe's AI data center in Nevada.

When will GM's sodium-ion grid batteries be available?

GM plans to build prototype sodium-ion cells at its Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren, Michigan, with work targeted to begin by the end of 2026. Commercial deployment with partner Peak Energy is expected later this decade.

What is Energy Pass?

Energy Pass is a GM feature meant to simplify public charging by giving drivers a single universal interface across charging networks, reducing the need to manage multiple apps and accounts.

GM's Empower 2026 announcements recast its EVs and batteries as a flexible power resource, using software-enabled V2G, second-life packs, and new sodium-ion storage to address rising grid demand from AI. The plan also marks GM's deeper move into the energy business beyond building cars.