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GMC Hummer EV Will Get Bi-Directional Charging With 2024 Model Year

GMC has announced that the Hummer EV will get bi-directional charging with the 2024 model year. Thanks to a new onboard charger, the Hummer EV will be able to power household appliances and charge other EVs from its massive Li-ion battery.
GMC Hummer EV will get bi-directional charging 6 photos
Photo: GMC | Edited
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Bi-directional charging is the new darling in the EV landscape, thanks to the ability to power equipment and even charge other electric vehicles. The feature had proved incredibly useful in emergencies, powering businesses and homes when electricity was down. Despite that, Tesla still refuses to offer it in its vehicles, considering it not very useful. General Motors thinks otherwise, and that’s why it will fit the GMC Hummer EV with a bi-directional onboard charger starting with the 2024 model year.

Replacing the old 11.5-kW charger, the new one offers a 19.2-kW maximum power, enabling faster AC charging and bi-directional charging for the first time. This is a huge step up, although GM could’ve provided a bigger capacity for powering external devices. Unfortunately, it maxes out at 6 kW for charging other vehicles or 3 kW if you want to power external devices. Nevertheless, the Hummer doesn’t have plugs like Ford’s Power Pro Onboard, so you need external accessories.

The GMC Hummer EV might not be easy to come by, but its huge battery pack looks ideal for powering things. The 212-kWh capacity is more than 15 Tesla Powerwalls combined, enough to charge a Tesla Model 3 Long Range from 0 to 100% twice. But it would be a painfully slow charge at the maximum 6-kW it can output. GMC calls the new feature Power Station Pro, and it tries to compete with Ford’s Power Pro Onboard.

Despite its much bigger battery, the Hummer EV is less capable than the Ford F-150 Lightning. Thanks to the Power Pro Onboard feature, the Lightning can output up to 9.6 kW without needing external adapters. And it can output the same power no matter if it charges other EVs or powers a house. The new onboard bi-directional charger most probably causes limitations in the case of the GMC Hummer EV. Meanwhile, the 3-kW accessory for powering household appliances introduces its own limitations.

The new 19.2-kW onboard charger will be offered standard on GMC Hummer EV starting with the 2X trims. The Edition 1 of the Hummer EV SUV will also get it for free. However, the cables and accessories needed to power other EVs and devices are sold separately. GMC first announced the Power Station for the Hummer EV in 2021, but the new onboard charger makes it shine.

"You could not effectively take power from the battery in this vehicle and put it into another vehicle," said Aaron Pfau, lead development engineer for Hummer EV. "So, in '24, we are enabling that. The 19.2-kilowatt charger, Level 2 AC charger, that we have on board, that is really the key change that enables this."

As strange as it seems, the bi-directional charging capability puts GM among the trendsetters of the EV industry. So far, Tesla has refused to join the fray, claiming few people would use the feature. Many believe Tesla would want to protect its Powerwall business in doing so. Still, powering external appliances is useful for people camping away from the grid. It’s silly to have a big battery in your car and bring yet another battery or generator.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
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After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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