GM expands energy storage business with sodium-ion battery partnership
3 verified4 unconfirmed
General Motors announced plans to expand its commercial-scale battery-storage business, including a partnership to develop sodium-ion batteries for grid applications. The automaker is working with California-based Peak Energy on the new battery technology, which is seen as a potential alternative to lithium-ion for large-scale energy storage. GM also said it will enable vehicle-to-grid capabilities for its electric vehicle customers, allowing EVs to send energy back to the electrical grid during peak demand. The company is testing this technology with utility partners in Northern California and Michigan. Additionally, GM introduced a new mobile app feature called Energy Pass that lets EV owners find, start, and pay for charging across multiple networks, including Tesla’s Superchargers. The announcements come as GM aims to compete in the multibillion-dollar energy generation and storage market and address growing electricity demand from AI data centers.
What’s verified
General Motors announced an expansion of its commercial-scale battery-storage business.
GM is partnering with Peak Energy to develop and deploy sodium-ion batteries for grid applications.
The automaker is enabling vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities for its EV customers.
Not yet confirmed
MarketWatch reported that GM is following Ford in making a major energy bet, but The Verge did not mention Ford’s similar move.
The Verge alone reported that GM is testing V2G with PG&E in Northern California and DTE Energy in Michigan, and that there are over 250,000 bidirectional-capable GM EVs on U.S. roads.
The Verge alone detailed GM’s Energy Pass feature and the company’s work with Redwood Materials on energy storage.
Neither source specified the financial terms of the Peak Energy partnership or a timeline for the sodium-ion battery deployment.
Key figures
Sterling Anderson, chief product officer of General Motors
Wade Sheffer, vice president of GM Energy
Peak Energy, privately held company based in California and Colorado
Sources: MarketWatch, The Verge
