GM thinks EVs can help offset AI's energy suck with vehicle-to-grid tech
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 announced a new vehicle-to-grid capability for EV owners to help stabilize the grid while dealing with power-hungry AI data centers.
Transportation AI News GM thinks EVs can help offset AI's energy suck with vehicle-to-grid tech The automaker wants to use the energy in hundreds of thousands of EV batteries to help stabilize the electrical grid.
- It's releasing a new commercial energy storage system strategy, anchored by newly developed sodium-ion batteries for industrial-scale grid applications.
And it's launching a new feature for EV owners that it says will help simplify public charging.
- EVs are unique in their ability to send energy back to the grid, just as they pull it while charging.
Many EVs are built with this bidirectional charging capability, enabling the two-way flow of energy.
- GM customers who already own the equipment will receive the update automatically.
GM says there are currently over 250,000 bidirectional-capable Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC EVs on American roads today.
- In addition to providing a benefit to public utilities, the automaker says EV owners could see a financial windfall too.
Stats & Key Facts
- #And in Michigan, GM is working with DTE Energy to "stress-test" bidirectional charging using 30 of its own employees' homes as real-world test cases.
GM announced a new vehicle-to-grid capability for EV owners to help stabilize the grid while dealing with power-hungry AI data centers. Transportation AI News GM thinks EVs can help offset AI's energy suck with vehicle-to-grid tech The automaker wants to use the energy in hundreds of thousands of EV batteries to help stabilize the electrical grid. The automaker wants to use the energy in hundreds of thousands of EV batteries to help stabilize the electrical grid.
Hawkins Jun 9, 2026, 9:00 PM UTC Link Share Gift Image: GM Part Of All the latest updates on AI data centers see all updates Andrew J. Hawkins is transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.
At an event in San Francisco today, General Motors made a series of announcements around EV batteries, energy storage, and grid resiliency in the face of growing electricity demand from AI data centers . The automaker announced that it would be activating new vehicle-to-grid capabilities for its current EV and home energy customers. It's releasing a new commercial energy storage system strategy, anchored by newly developed sodium-ion batteries for industrial-scale grid applications.
For more details please read the original article at The Verge AI.
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