PG&E customers can snag huge incentives on GM Energy charging products through a V2X pilot program
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) residential customers can now take advantage of incentives in the thousands off the price of qualifying GM Energy home charging and energy management products. GM has joined PG&E’s vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot program, enabling energy customers to bundle their GM Energy systems and eventually get paid to supply excess energy back to their local grid.
While this particular incentive program only applies to certain customers of PG&E, it is big news for the growing segment of home energy management solutions, including energy storage systems, solar panels, and bidirectional EV charging.
GM Energy, the home and commercial charging solutions arm, spun out from Ultium Charge 360 three years ago, is establishing itself as a leader in that segment. In the summer of 2023, GM Energy launched its initial portfolio of Ultium Home products, which consisted of three separate bundles complete with vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging capabilities.
In May of 2024, GM Energy showed off the capabilities of its energy management products by powering an entire mansion using the products and a Chevy Silverado EV. Since then, GM Energy has expanded its business to all 50 United States, giving EV owners nationwide access to its portfolio of energy management products, which also includes two versions of an energy storage system (ESS) called PowerBank, which was introduced last October.
With a growing lineup of home energy management and EV charging solutions, GM Energy is working alongside PG&E to expand its reach by incentivizing those customers to implement said technologies and explore more sustainable solutions. There may also be an option for vehicle-to-grid capabilities, which could be an absolute game-changer in how we use and manage our daily energy.
PG&E customers can save $4,500 on GM Energy charging
GM shared that now that it has joined PG&E’s V2X pilot program, those energy customers in Northern and Central California can take advantage of incentivized pricing on specific charging and power hub products.
Customers who enroll in the Vehicle-to-Everything pilot program can receive up to $4,500 off the price of GM Energy home products, such as its Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) Bundle, which includes a PowerShift EV charger and V2H Enablement Kit or the all-encompassing Home System, which includes bidirectional EV charging plus a GM Energy PowerBank, Home Hub, and Inverter.
GM Energy’s products also currently qualify for federal tax incentives, so PG&E customers can get a robust energy management setup complete with EV charging for upwards of $5,000 off. GM Energy Vice President Wade Sheffer spoke about these savings opportunities:
For Northern California customers looking to take more control of their home energy, this program with PG&E represents a great opportunity. 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, may even reduce the overall total cost of EV ownership.
In exchange for the incentives, GM Energy and PG&E plan to study charging data from customers to evaluate the potential of bidirectional charging and its ability to support electrical grids by flushing excess energy from those storage devices (EVs, PowerBanks, etc) during peak energy demand.
The goal is to scale bidirectional c,harging installations to more PG&E customers and eventually throughout all of California to demonstrate the energy freedom and financial benefits it can provide to all customers. Mike Delaney, Vice President of utility partnerships and innovation at PG&E also spoke:
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. 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.
To begin, the following GM EVs will be eligible for the V2X program, but the American automaker plans to add all 2025 model-year EVs soon:
You can learn more about the PG&E pilot program and bidirectional charging on GM Energy’s website and enroll here. GM also provided more details of the capabilities of its home energy management products in the video below:
Electrek’s take
While this particular incentive program only applies to customers from one energy company in a single state, PG&E is a behemoth in California, and it’s encouraging to see it at least exploring the possibility of bidirectional charging enabling vehicle-to-grid capabilities.
Anyone who will lend an ear has heard me go on and on about how the energy companies should be shaking as more energy management power (and freedom from the grid) is being put into the hands of individual homeowners. I can easily imagine a world where most homeowners have an EV paired with solar panels on their roof and some sort of power bank in their garage. They can charge their vehicle and power their home during peak hours using free energy from the Sun and/or store it to sell back to energy companies via V2G.
Say you’re going out of town for a week and you know you won’t need your car or the energy you’ve gained from solar. Flush it back to the grid when everyone is home from work at night and booting up Netflix, and you’ll get some money back on your monthly bill!
It’s a no-brainer to me, and I see V2G as inevitable. That said, I feel most energy companies will fight tooth and nail to at least slow that transition down to maintain their energy monopolies as long as possible. That’s why it’s refreshing to see a company like PG&E at least open to possibility… especially since it’s an energy company that’s not exactly known for its moral fiber (see Erin Brockovich).
California often serves as a crystal ball into the future for the rest of the US, so this pilot program, albeit small, is a step forward in full-scale integration throughout the state and into additional ones. We must wait and see what the data brings before anything becomes a bonafide standard for energy customers. Still, this program does offer a sweet little taste of a future in which sustainable energy becomes widespread… not because it’s the right thing to do unfortunately, but because it will save everyone money.
Well, maybe not the energy companies, but they will continue to do just fine.
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Environment
Eve Energy rolls solid-state batteries off new assembly line to power humanoids, flying cars
What a headline and what a future evolving before our eyes. Chinese battery expert EVE Energy inaugurated a new production base yesterday, and to celebrate the feat, rolled one of its new all-solid-state batteries off the production line.
EVE Energy Co., Ltd. is a Chinese battery manufacturer approaching 25 years in the industry. It develops, manufactures, and delivers lithium-ion batteries and energy storage systems to OEMs around the world.
The company’s current production footprint includes facilities in at least four regions of China, in addition to a plant in Malaysia and Hungary. In 2021, EVE shared plans to erect a new lithium-ion battery research and development center and manufacturing plant in Chengdu, in the Sichuan region of southwest China.
Since then, EVE Energy has made impressive strides beyond traditional lithium-ion cells and into highly coveted all-solid-state technology. Yesterday, EVE Energy officially opened its new solid-state battery production base in Chengdu and even produced one of its new “Longquan II” cells (pictured above).
EVE to build 500k solid-state cells per year in Chengdu
EVE Energy shared details of yesterday’s solid-state production base inauguration in a release today. The new 11,000-square-meter (118,400-square-foot) facility in Chengdu is officially open, but will continue development and expansion through 2026.
As initially announced in 2021, EVE Energy’s Chengdu facility will be constructed in two phases – the first of which is expected to be completed in December. Phase one will offer the capacity to manufacture 60-Ah batteries and EVE’s “Longquan II” solid-state cells – the first of which rolled off the production line yesterday.
The Longquan II is a 10-Ah all-solid-state cell with an energy density of up to 300 Wh/kg. Per EVE Energy, mass production of these ultra-dense cells will eventually power humanoid robots, uncrewed aerial vehicles, and AI equipment.
At its new Chengdu base, EVE has already vowed to fully commit funding, equipment, and R&D resources to achieve an energy density of 400 Wh/kg by 2025. The company also stated that this week’s production launch of the Longquan series “marks a crucial step forward for Eve Energy in solid-state battery industrialization.”
Following phase one’s completion by year’s end, EVE said phase two will bolster the facility’s annual production capacity to 500,000 cells, equating to 100 MWh by December 2026.
There was no mention of any specific solid-state cells developed for electric vehicles. Still, EVE Energy is inching toward mass production of the technology while producing higher energy densities to support automotive OEMs, perhaps one day.
Last year, Zhao Ruirui, executive vice president of EVE Energy’s research institute, shared plans to launch all-solid-state batteries for Chinese passenger cars in 2026, beginning with hybrid EVs.
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It’s official. Volkswagen is shaking up its EV naming strategy. After confirming the ID.2 will launch as the ID.Polo, Volkswagen promises its new family of entry-level EVs “will make electric driving more affordable than ever.” The ID.Polo is just the start with an electric T-Cross and much more coming soon.
Meet the Volkswagen ID.Polo
Volkswagen is reviving some of its most popular nameplates for its next-generation electric vehicles. Starting with the ID.Polo next year, Volkswagen will begin transferring names from ICE models to its new family of EVs.
The all-electric ID.Polo “is just the beginning,” according to Thomas Schäfer, VW brand CEO. As the production version of the ID.2all concept from 2023, the 25,000 euro ($29,000) entry-level electric car, the Polo EV, is expected to be a cornerstone of Volkswagen’s electrification strategy.
“A model like the Polo shows just how powerful a name can be,” Martin Sanders, Volkswagen’s sales boss, said, adding, “it stands for reliability, personality and history.”
The ID.Polo is just the start. Volkswagen has several new affordable EVs on the way, including the ID.Cross, an electric counterpart to the T-Cross.
Volkswagen said its new family of EVs marks the beginning of a new era, promising to make electric driving more affordable than ever.
The ID.Polo will evolve into an electric hot hatch, featuring a sporty GTI variant. Sanders said the ID.GTI Concept will go into production as the ID. Polo GTI, which is also launching next year. It will offer “outstanding dynamics and plenty of driving pleasure,” Sanders ensured.
Volkswagen will showcase the ID.Polo and ID.Polo GTI for the first time at the Munich Motor Show, starting on September 8.
The day before, September 7, Volkswagen will unveil the ID.Cross concept. It’s also slated to arrive in 2026 as the electric counterpart to its best-selling T-Cross SUV.
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Environment
Segway’s electric go-karts are joining forces with the world’s largest indoor karting chain
Segway just smashed the accelerator pedal on youth motorsports, teaming up with indoor karting giant K1 Speed in a new partnership that blends electric micromobility with high-octane (high-electron?) thrills and fun.
The collaboration will see Segway become the official sponsor of K1’s Junior and Teen Challenge GP leagues, while also putting Segway’s high-performance scooters and go-karts directly in front of the next generation of electric racing fans.
Segway will serve as the official sponsor of K1 Speed’s Junior and Teen Challenge GP leagues, a racing series that pits the best young go-kart racers against each other at K1 tracks across the country. Winners will even take home some fun prizes like the Segway GoKart Pro 2.
“Segway’s partnership with K1 Speed perfectly reflects our passion for performance, innovation, and inspiring the next generation of riders,” said Alex Connelly, head of emerging business development at Segway. “By bringing our products directly to K1 fans and powering the Junior and Teen Challenge GP leagues, we’re creating opportunities for more people to experience even more everyday thrills!”
K1 Speed operates over 100 locations across 30 states and 10 countries, all using fully electric go-karts, making this partnership a perfect alignment in both spirit and tech. “Segway’s incredible reputation as a front-runner in electric mobility aligns perfectly with our use of fully electric go-karts,” said K1 co-founder Susan Danglard.
The partnership also brings more access to Segway’s other micromobility products, such as their range of electric scooters that cover everything from commuting to high-performance riding. Segway’s most exciting electric vehicles, including the Max G3 e-scooter, F3 commuter scooter, GT3 performance scooter, and the GoKart Pro 2, are now available for purchase directly from K1’s website. That last one might be the most fun of all: the GoKart Pro 2 is a 3-in-1 electric vehicle that hits speeds of up to 27 mph (43 km/h), transforms into a self-balancing scooter, and even doubles as a racing simulator controller for PC gaming.
Oh, and yes… it’s designed for both kids and adults. So parents, don’t pretend you’re buying one just for the kids.
Electrek’s Take
We’ve seen branding deals before that are just that… all about branding. But this feels like much more than just a cross-promo play. It’s a real look at how electric mobility brands can build cultural relevance with young riders early – and maybe even help grow the next generation of e-racing pros while they’re at it.
By getting kids and teens into EVs, without the focus being on the EV itself, it helps cement the idea that these aren’t some new alternatives… they’re just the best way to build transportation devices, whether it’s for commuting, adventuring, or just plain fun racing!
K1’s electric karts are a bit faster than Segway’s, but they’re also built to be abused all day, every day. That Segway kart looks pretty fun for a personal option!
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