General Motors has announced a new business unit to expand outside of its current portfolio of EVs and charging network. The new energy management services business is called GM Energy and will consist of Ultium Home and Ultium Commercial, in combination with the previously existing Ultium Charge 360.
As one of the world’s largest automakers, GM has used 2022 to truly lean into the apex of electrification to not only stay competitive, but to eventually become the industry leader. CEO Mary Barra has repeatedly shared GM’s intentions to dethrone longtime EV sales leader Tesla by mid-decade.
As part of its strategy, GM has promised 30 new EVs by 2025, including a commitment of $7 billion to bolster its annual production capacity to 1 million units in the same time frame. Recently, the automaker has breathed new life into its Chevy Bolt EV and EUVs following a tumultuous recall in 2021. GMC Hummer EV deliveries continue to speed up and are joined by the all-electric Cadillac Lyriq. The automaker also has plenty of other EVs in its pipeline like a Chevy Silverado EV and 2024 Chevy Blazer EV.
Today, we have learned that the Ultium Charge 360 network will exist under a new business unit called GM Energy, which will also include holistic energy management solutions for both homes and businesses.
Source: GM
GM Energy looks to eventually offer vehicle-to-grid capabilities
Details of GM’s new energy management business unit emerged via press release early this morning, outlining some of the technology the American automaker intends to offer both passenger and commercial EV customers.
According to the automaker, GM Energy’s connected product and service offering will eventually offer the following applications for EV owners and their homes or businesses:
Bi-directional charging
Vehicle-to-home (V2H) capabilities
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities
Stationary energy storage
Solar products
Software applications and cloud management tools
Microgrid solutions
Hydrogen fuel cells
Much of the technology mentioned above will become available to consumers through Ultium Home – the residential-focused arm of GM Energy. Similar to competitors like Tesla and Ford, GM will soon offer stationary storage that can connect an EV to a driver’s home, solar technology, and the grid into one holistic system.
In a call with media, GM shared that it has already been piloting V2H applications with PG&E in California, allowing for bi-directional charging and the ability to power a home using energy stored in an EV during blackouts or other outages. Following initial tests, both companies intend to expand to a subset of PG&E residential customers in 2023.
GM is also touting other applications such as vehicle-to-grid capabilities, but explained that more complicated implementation processes like that will come at a later date to be determined.
Other energy companies working with GM Energy include Con Edison, Graniterock, and New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NEHC). GM’s vice president of EV growth operations Travis Hester spoke to the potential of GM Energy going forward and what it means for current and future EV owners:
GM Energy has the opportunity to help deliver sustainable energy products and services that can help mitigate the effect of power outages and provide customers with resilient and cost-effective energy management. GM Energy’s mission is to offer customers access to a full suite of energy products and services, including solutions beyond the vehicle, accelerating the seamless transition to an all-electric future. With the expansion of our enterprise business through GM Energy and one of the most comprehensive portfolios of energy management products and services available, we will help to reduce the barriers of entry for sustainable power and further accelerate the mass adoption of EVs.
Another important company in the expansion of GM Energy’s new lineup of energy management solutions is solar technology specialist SunPower, who has signed an agreement with GM to help develop the home energy systems that can and will combine solar and stationary power into one cohesive unit. SunPower has also signed on as the preferred installer of the home energy systems and will offer solar add-ons to GM Energy customers.
The home energy system is expected to launch alongside the upcoming Chevy Silverado EV, which is currently slotted for production in the fall of 2023. The GM team shared that it expects all of its new Ultium Home and Commercial products to enter production in Q4 of 2023.
Ultium Commercial services is available to businesses now, opening a new window of opportunity for GM Energy to step in as a hardware and software provider, but also as a strategic advisor to businesses to help set up the necessary energy infrastructure necessary for all-electric fleets.
Lastly, the automaker shared that as a part of GM Energy, Ultium Charge 360 will continue to expand its public charging network and offer new products and services of its own over time.
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On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we don’t even mention “you know who,” focusing instead on EV news from Rivian, Lucid, Nissan, Ford, and what it takes to make a MAN in the heavy truck space. Check it out!
Sure, Nissan is pushing back production estimates on its yet-to-begin-production Nissan LEAF and Ford’s EV sales were down significantly in Q2, but there’s more to the story than the “Faux News” crowd would have you believe. Plus: some new electric success stories from Porsche and a disappointing (but still cool) dive into some new home backup battery tech.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
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he 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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Battery electric cars sold today in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, even when factoring in production, according to new research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). That’s a big improvement from 2021, when the gap was 59%.
Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids haven’t made much progress. The study confirms what clean transportation advocates have been saying for years: If Europe wants to seriously slash emissions from its dirtiest mode of transport – ICE passenger cars, which pump out nearly 75% of the sector’s pollution – it needs to go all-in on battery EVs.
“Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said ICCT researcher Dr. Marta Negri. Credit the continent’s rapid shift to renewables and the higher energy efficiency of EVs.
The makeup of the EU’s power grid is changing fast. By 2025, renewables are expected to generate 56% of Europe’s electricity, up from 38% in 2020. And that’s just the beginning: the share could hit 86% by 2045. Since cars bought today could still be on the road two decades from now, the growing use of clean electricity will only boost EVs’ climate benefits over time.
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Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, will stay mostly tied to fossil fuels as the cost and availability of biofuels and e-fuels are still uncertain.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids only cut lifetime emissions by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to gas cars. That’s partly because plug-in hybrids tend to run on gas more than expected. So while hybrids aren’t useless, they’re just not good enough if we’re serious about climate goals.
Countering EV myths with hard data
There’s been a lot of noise lately about whether EVs are really that green. The ICCT study takes aim at the bad data and misleading claims floating around, like ignoring how the grid gets cleaner over time or using unrealistic gas mileage figures.
It’s true that manufacturing EVs creates more emissions upfront – about 40% more than making a gas car, mostly due to the battery. But EVs make up for it quickly: that extra emissions load is usually wiped out after about 17,000 km (10,563 miles) of driving, which most drivers hit in a year or two.
“We’ve recently seen auto industry leaders misrepresenting the emissions math on hybrids,” said Dr. Georg Bieker, senior researcher at the ICCT. “But life-cycle analysis is not a choose-your-own-adventure exercise.”
ICCT’s new analysis includes emissions from vehicle and battery production and recycling, fuel and electricity production, and fuel consumption and maintenance. It even adjusts for how the electricity mix will change in the coming years – a key detail when measuring plug-in hybrid performance.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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The EV2 may be Kia’s smallest electric vehicle, but it has a big presence on the road. Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re inside, thanks to clever storage and flexible seating. After a prototype was spotted testing in the Alps, we are getting our closest look at the Kia EV2 so far.
Kia EV2 spotted in the Alps offers our closest look yet
Kia first unveiled the Concept EV2 during its 2025 EV Day event (see our recap of the event) in April, a preview of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV.
Despite its small size, Kia claims it will “redefine urban electric mobility” with new innovative features and more. Kia has yet to say exactly how big it will be, but given it will sit below the EV3, it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″) in length. The EV3 is 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length.
Looking at it from the side, it sits much higher than you’d expect, similar to Kia’s larger EV9. During an exclusive event at Milan Design Week in April, Kia gave a sneak peek of the interior.
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Kia said the interior is inspired by a “picnic in the city,” or in other words, a retreat from the busy city life. With a flat-floor design and flexible seating, you can quite literally have a picnic in the city.
Kia Concept EV2 (Source: Kia)
Although we’ve seen the EV2 out in public testing a few times, a new video provides the closest look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV.
The video, courtesy of CarSpyMedia, shows an EV2 prototype testing in the Alps with European license plates. There’s also a “Testfahrt” sticker on the back, which translates to “Test Car” in German.
Kia EV2 entry-level EV caught testing in the Alps (Source: CarSpyMedia)
As the prototype drives by, you can get a good look at it from all angles. Like in past sightings, the front features stacked vertical headlights with Kia’s signature Star Map lighting. Even the rear lights appear to be identical to those of the concept.
The interior will feature Kia’s next-gen ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ instrument clusters and infotainment screens in a curved panoramic display. Depending on the model, it could also include an added 5.3″ climate control screen.
Last month, a crossover coupe-like model was spotted on a car carrier in Korea, hinting at a new variant. The new model featured a design similar to that of the Genesis GV60.
Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, also recently told Autocar that a smaller, more affordable EV was in the works to sit below the EV2. Song said the new EV, priced under €25,000 ($30,000), was “one area we are studying and developing.”
With the EV4 and EV5 launching this year, followed by the EV2 in 2026, it could be closer toward the end of the decade before we see it hit the market. Next-gen EV6 and EV9 models are also due out around then.
The Kia EV2 is set to launch in Europe and other global regions in 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not expected to make the trip to the US.
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