PG&E expands its California V2X program

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has announced a significant expansion of its Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) program, adding several new vehicles and charger options for its California customers.

V2X technology allows compatible EVs to be used as mobile batteries, providing backup power to a home during outages and sending power back to the grid during periods of high electricity demand.

PG&E’s Vehicle-to-Everything program offers customers financial incentives to install and use cutting-edge bidirectional EV charging technology. Residential incentives include:

• $2,500 upfront ($3,000 for customers in disadvantaged communities)
• $1,500 Early Adopter Incentive for the first 250 customers to enroll
• $13,000 in additional incentives through California Energy Commission grant funding, subject to additional eligibility requirements.

The expansion includes the addition of four new automakers to the Eligible Products List: Kia, Volvo, Polestar and Nissan. Certain EV models from Ford, Tesla and GM were already on the list of eligible vehicles.

PowerFlex, a commercial solar installer and EV charging provider, and Bidirectional Energy, provider of a software platform that connects EVs, bidirectional chargers and utility programs, will also be added as approved partners.

“This expansion is all about choice,” said David Almeida, Director, Clean Energy Transportation at PG&E. “By broadening the mix of eligible vehicles and chargers, we’re helping our customers access this valuable technology, while also offering them a way turn their EV into a home backup and a grid asset.”

Bidirectional charging’s transition from pilots to commercial implementations is still in an early phase. For now, only specific vehicle and charger combinations are supported. The expanded program now includes the following models:

• Nissan Leaf (2018-2025) with a dcbel Ara charger
• Volvo EX90 (2025) with a dcbel Ara charger
• Polestar 3 (2025) with a dcbel Ara charger
• Kia EV9 (2024 and newer) with a Wallbox Quasar 2 charger
• Kia EV6 (2025 and newer) with a Wallbox Quasar 2 charger
• Chevrolet Bolt (2027)
• Cadillac Celestiq (2025 and newer)
• Cadillac Escalade IQL (2025 and newer)

PG&E is also promoting V2G technology on the commercial side. The utility has supported Fremont, Oakland and San Francisco school districts in transitioning to bidirectionally-capable electric school bus fleets.

Commercial incentives include:

• $2,500 upfront ($3,000 for customers in disadvantaged communities) for installing a 3-phase bidirectional charger with a power capacity of less than 50 kW.
• $4,500 upfront ($5,000 for customers in disadvantaged communities) for installing a 3-phase bidirectional charger with capacity of 50 kW or more.

Source: Pacific Gas and Electric