As climate change drives conversation about energy efficiency, General GM and Pacific Gas and Electric are planning to test the use of electric vehicles as a backup power source for homes.
The home-powering idea will be tested by this summer as car companies funnel money into battery-powered cars. The program will take place in the electric company's service area, which includes Northern and Central California, and aims to support the state's goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In this case, a home, bidirectional charging is the crux of the initiative, which would allow the vehicle to pull power from the grid and to supply power to something else.
"Not only is this a huge advancement for electric reliability and climate resilience, it's also another advantage of clean-powered EVs, which are so important in our collective battle against climate change," said the CEO of Pacific Gas and Electric.
The partners plan to allow a small group of customers to receive power from an electric vehicle when the power goes out.
The teams are working to quickly scale the pilot and bring the technology to the customers.
The vehicle-to- home electric vehicle is similar to the Ford F-150 Lightning, an electric pickup that automatically powers a home if the lights go out.
Ford says that the pickup operates like a home generator and offers users peace of mind. If the power is rationed properly, the battery can power a home for up to 10 days. The trucks start at over $40,000.
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