Photo: General Motors
Tesla was the first car company to also target energy storage systems (ESSs). While that suggests it is a pioneer, that is only the natural consequence of selling massive battery packs. When they lose their utility to vehicles, they are still suitable to work in stationary applications. That said, GM is among the car companies that decided to offer ESSs. It even created a new division: GM Energy.
Apart from Ultium Charge 360, the company now announced it would have Ultium Home and Ultium Commercial. Ultium Charge 360 was announced in April 2021 with the goal of making the charging experience for GM customers as easy as possible. It did that mainly by integrating seven major charging networks in the same solution. Curiously, it emerged before the first vehicle with the Ultium platform was delivered. GM began shipping the GMC Hummer EV in December 2021.
With GM Energy, the company started to expand on the business possibilities EVs offer. Ultium Home is about ESSs for homes – such as Powerwalls – integrated with solar panels. GM made a deal with SunPower to “develop and offer customers a home energy system which will consist of integrated EV and battery solutions.” Just for the record, integrating an EV in this seems to be optional.
Energy storage systems are stationary by definition. Electric cars can play that role, but that will shorten their lifespan: battery packs have a cycling limit that you either use to move or power stuff. That said, all the Ultium Home system needs are solar panels, the software that manages the energy, and the ESS that GM is yet to name. It will be Ultium something, rest assured.
If the Ultium Home has a GM EV to count on, the American automaker promises it will offer bidirectional capacity, vehicle-to-home (V2H), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. Summing up, the EV will either draw electricity from the grid or deliver it to a home or the grid. Ultium Commercial is the same thing, only with larger ESSs. Being an energy company is what waits for all carmakers. Get used to their new services.
With GM Energy, the company started to expand on the business possibilities EVs offer. Ultium Home is about ESSs for homes – such as Powerwalls – integrated with solar panels. GM made a deal with SunPower to “develop and offer customers a home energy system which will consist of integrated EV and battery solutions.” Just for the record, integrating an EV in this seems to be optional.
Energy storage systems are stationary by definition. Electric cars can play that role, but that will shorten their lifespan: battery packs have a cycling limit that you either use to move or power stuff. That said, all the Ultium Home system needs are solar panels, the software that manages the energy, and the ESS that GM is yet to name. It will be Ultium something, rest assured.
If the Ultium Home has a GM EV to count on, the American automaker promises it will offer bidirectional capacity, vehicle-to-home (V2H), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. Summing up, the EV will either draw electricity from the grid or deliver it to a home or the grid. Ultium Commercial is the same thing, only with larger ESSs. Being an energy company is what waits for all carmakers. Get used to their new services.
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