How GM Energy Is Changing Home Energy Management for EV Owners

The transition to electric vehicles is reshaping more than just transportation—it’s changing how homes manage energy and how skilled tradespeople deliver innovative solutions. As new technologies like vehicle-to-home and bidirectional charging become mainstream, electricians and contractors are increasingly central to building resilient, efficient energy systems.

Trade Hounds CEO David Bauders sat down with Wade Sheffer, Vice President of GM Energy, to discuss these emerging trends. In this Q&A, Wade discusses the future of home energy management, the importance of training and certification for installers, and how the next generation of tradespeople can step into these emerging roles.

Can you explain what GM Energy does and why it matters for vehicle owners?

The majority of our EVs have our vehicle-to-home capability. With GM Energy’s innovative products simply installed in your home, we have the ability to do bidirectional charging, which means that we can charge up the battery in your truck, or you can actually power your home, which is pretty amazing. In the event of a power outage, you can back up your power.

You might ask, “What if you unplug your truck?” Well, we have the GM Energy PowerBank, which is an energy storage solution that resides in your home. You can store energy either through solar or from the grid when the rates are low, and then use it if you were to unplug or at a time of usage of your choosing.

How can GM Energy help homeowners optimize their energy usage and costs?

We want to bring that total cost of ownership down, and we do that in tandem with our utilities. As an example, PG&E out of California, they’re providing pretty significant incentives for customers who purchase a GM Energy vehicle-to-home system. This ultimately helps the utilities, puts a smile on the face of our customers, and everybody wins.

For homeowners with GM vehicles, what role do contractors play in activating these energy solutions?

Safety and quality are paramount right now for the components and parts, but obviously for our consumers—bar none. Ensuring that we have installers across the nation that are certified, they understand how to do it, and they do it really well. That continues to be one of those things that we need more of.

With so many electricians expected to retire in the next 5–10 years, how does GM build awareness and interest among the next generation of tradespeople?

It’s not an easy task. Awareness is really key from the overall consumer basis. One of the things that we’re doing is pairing up with companies where they have a national network of installers, and through them and ourselves, we drive this awareness. That’s one element.

But also, NEMA has done a great job as well of bringing awareness to the need for these types of jobs, especially for our veterans as well.

What are the biggest challenges in making the GM Energy vision a reality?

Again, awareness, awareness, and awareness. Once that customer understands the value proposition that we have—the ability to provide peace of mind and the ability simply to control the energy from your home in the palm of your hand, that puts them at peace of mind.

We have that capability, and it is seamless. The ability to go from your vehicle to our charging solution, GM Energy home energy solution, and our PowerBank, to keep your home up and operational.

What innovations in home energy management do you see on the horizon?

One of the key and critical innovations that is up and coming is vehicle-to-grid.

How do you bring the total cost of ownership down for that consumer? Think about the day where that stored energy in your vehicle or in your GM Energy PowerBank—you don’t need it today or tomorrow, maybe even next week—you’re simply able to opt in, take that energy, and send it back to the grid to support the grid.

That helps them lower their cost and also get paid. This is the innovation of the future.

The new generation of tradespeople and consumers discover information differently. How does GM use social media to build awareness for these solutions?

YouTube.

When we first got started, we had installation manuals like everybody did. Ultimately, we converted that into very short, very direct YouTube videos with the support of installers. This is not unlike what we do in our service lanes today at any GM dealership that you go to.

We also have our LinkedIn channels. We have a whole host of communications and marketing elements out there in the marketplace today to drive that awareness.

Are influencers and user-generated content part of your strategy?

We do utilize influencers. Also—our customers are a very key advocate of ours. And ultimately, they’re the ones receiving the value. We ask them, once it’s all installed, “Would you be willing to share your story?”

Recently, we had a guy by the name of Clayton. He was a retired engineer, and we popped on one of his lawn chairs in front of his garage, and he went to town. In a short two-minute clip, it was quite amazing.

Beyond social media, how do dealerships and other channels help promote GM Energy solutions?

Our dealer is really key—as we always say, the point of sale is one of the key elements and opportunities to educate and provide awareness to our customers. So as that customer comes in and buys that EV, if you’re in rural Kentucky, as an example, you can still be a customer.

You’re not going to have vehicle-to-home capability because an ICE isn’t going to provide that. But you can put a PowerBank system in your home and have that resiliency.

Looking back, were there any surprises or pivots you would have made earlier in how GM Energy engages customers?

We’ve had surprises, and we’ve pivoted. People are people, and they want to touch, feel, and understand. We have examples in our dealers where people can see it. They want to see how big it is, they want to visualize it in their home. And so we provide all of those opportunities for those customers.

We have a website that’s very clear. Based upon feedback, we’ve updated our website to provide specific dimensions. And again—how do you immerse that customer into understanding and learning more? Having them be captive in the moment while their interest is high, but also showcasing the true value that they’re going to get.

Final Thoughts

The rise of vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid technologies underscores a broader trend: energy management is becoming a critical intersection of technology and skilled labor. As the industry evolves, contractors and electricians are essential partners in building resilient, efficient energy systems.

Want to dive deeper into the conversation?

Watch the full discussion between David Bauders and Wade Sheffer below:

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Trade Hounds is America’s largest and most engaged community built exclusively for skilled tradespeople. With hundreds of thousands of users across construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, welding, and more, the platform helps workers showcase their skills, share jobsite insights, connect with employers, and access critical resources that support their careers. Trade Hounds is committed to elevating and empowering the trades workforce through technology, community, and opportunity.