General Motors (GM) is taking proactive steps to enhance its presence in the energy storage market, particularly in response to rising energy costs and the growing demand for data centers driven by artificial intelligence.
The company announced plans to improve its vehicle-to-grid capabilities, allowing electric vehicle (EV) owners to send energy back to the grid, which could help reduce their energy expenses. Additionally, GM is collaborating with Peak Energy to develop next-generation sodium-ion batteries, which are expected to be more cost-effective and simpler to operate than traditional battery systems.
Kurt Kelty, GM's vice president of battery and sustainability, emphasized that these sodium-ion systems could eliminate the need for active cooling, thus lowering both upfront and operational costs. GM's partnership with Peak Energy, founded by former employees from Tesla and Lockheed Martin, aims to produce sodium-ion cells for commercial use post-2028.
Meanwhile, GM continues to work on reusing its existing EV batteries for energy storage and producing lower-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries through a joint venture with LG Energy Solution. The company has invested heavily in research and development for battery production, with a current capacity of about 90 gigawatt hours across its plants in Ohio and Tennessee.
As residential electricity prices in the U.S. have surged nearly 48% since January 2020, GM's initiatives could provide significant benefits to its customers by enabling them to manage energy costs more effectively.
Furthermore, GM is enhancing its EV charging infrastructure with an 'Energy Pass' for seamless public charging, including compatibility with Tesla Superchargers, and plans to standardize charging ports for all-electric vehicles starting in the 2027 model year