General Motors (GM) has recently unveiled its entry into the home energy market, announcing three new products under the Ultium Home brand. With these offerings, GM aims to rival Tesla’s Powerwall line and provide homeowners with a reliable power solution, ensuring they are not left without electricity during grid outages, storms, or when relying on solar power.
While these home energy systems naturally complement GM’s new generation of electric vehicles (EVs), the company emphasizes that they have been designed to accommodate both EV owners and those content with traditional combustion vehicles.
The first product in the lineup is the Ultium Home V2H Bundle, tailored specifically for EV owners seeking to leverage their vehicle’s Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) charging capability. However, it is important to note that not all EVs support bi-directional charging. The bundle includes a GM PowerShift Charger, capable of delivering up to 19.2 kW of AC power, along with the Ultium Home V2H Enablement Kit. The enablement kit comprises an inverter, home hub, dark start battery, and provides a discharge power of 9.6 kW.
Next, the Ultium Home Energy System builds upon the previous offering by incorporating a stationary storage facility. It encompasses the PowerShift Charger and Ultium Home V2H Enablement Kit found in the first bundle, while introducing the GM Powerbankāa storage unit capable of storing both solar and grid energy. Buyers can choose between two capacities: 5 kW/10.6 kWh and 7 kW/17.7 kWh systems.
Finally, GM caters to homeowners interested in the static storage system but do not own an EV with the Ultium Home Energy Storage Bundle. This bundle includes the GM PowerBank, inverter, and home hub, omitting the PowerShift Charger and Ultium Home V2H Enablement Kit.
To integrate solar energy into their setups, buyers can opt for SunPower, GM Energy’s exclusive solar provider. Additionally, regardless of the chosen system, purchasers will have access to the GM Energy Cloud software platform, facilitating efficient management of their energy resources. However, exact pricing and availability details are yet to be disclosed.
With the introduction of its Ultium Home products, GM signals its intent to compete with Tesla in the burgeoning home energy market. As both companies vie for market share, consumers can look forward to an expanded range of options for powering their homes securely and sustainably in the future.
