General Motors is releasing a software update that allows some U.S. electric-vehicle owners to pipe power back to the electric grid, another example of car companies pursuing business opportunities in the energy sector.
The update gives owners of GM's vehicle-to-home energy system, which allows the EV to power the home during a blackout, the expanded capability of feeding electricity to the power grid. However, it remains unclear whether doing so will be popular with drivers, who may also want to keep their cars charged.
Vehicle-to-home system owners would be able to sell power back to the utility at times of high demand, with GM getting a cut of those payments. A GM spokesperson said it has thousands of vehicle-to-home users, but declined to provide a specific figure.
