The GM PowerBank battery pack could compete with Tesla's PowerWall.
GM introduced the PowerBank, a battery that allows electric vehicle owners to store and transfer energy from the power grid, as well as integrate with solar energy sources.
The competition to provide the best energy savings to electric vehicle (EV) owners has intensified among automakers. GM Energy, a division of General Motors, has launched PowerBank, a stationary energy storage battery pack that allows EV owners to store and transfer energy from the electrical grid, as well as integrate with home solar energy systems.
PowerBank is available in two capacity variants: 10.6 kWh and 17.7 kWh. This device can power a home during a power outage or help mitigate higher electricity rates during peak demand times. It can also be used to store solar energy, supplement EV charging, and provide power to a home without needing an EV to be connected. According to GM, combining two 17.7 kWh PowerBank units can supply enough energy to power the average American home for up to 20 hours.
Users can purchase PowerBank as part of two packages: the GM Energy Storage package for $10,999, or the GM Home Energy System package for $12,700, the latter includes a bidirectional charger for electric vehicles that can supply up to 19.2 kWh. In comparison, Tesla's PowerWall 3 energy storage system has a capacity of 13.5 kWh and costs $9,300.
Wade Sheffer, GM's vice president, highlights the "modularity" of PowerBank as a key advantage, making it easy to integrate with existing technologies. In August, GM announced that all its 2026 models will include vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology. Additionally, they will also offer vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, which can provide additional energy and economic savings. The combination of electric vehicles, homes with solar energy, and electrical grids is becoming the central focus of EV manufacturers' offerings. Nissan, BMW, Ford, and Honda have teamed up to offer the ChargeScape V2G software, which connects EVs with utilities and the electrical grid, allowing EV owners to receive financial incentives for pausing charging during peak demand periods or selling energy back to the grid.
Meanwhile, Tesla has taken a more cautious approach to V2G technology, although its CEO, Elon Musk, has hinted that such technology could be introduced in Tesla vehicles by 2025.
