GM is working with PG&E to turn electric vehicles into a virtual power grid in California

General Motors and utility Pacific Gas and Electric are teaming up to determine how electric vehicles can be used to power people’s homes during a blackout — or even feed power back into the grid during times of peak demand. The pilot will take place in PG&E’s home state of California, where wildfires are putting strain on the state’s energy infrastructure.

GM is the latest automaker to team up with a utility around the idea of “vehicle-to-grid” technology. (PG&E has also partnered with BMW around a similar idea.) The idea is to use bi-directional charging equipment to push and pull energy from electric vehicles at any given time. In essence, it treats high-capacity batteries as not only tools to power EVs but backup storage cells for...

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