Sponsored by: General Motors It sounds like science fiction – a car that doesn’t just drive you places, but powers the place you live. Sounds like a futuristic movie? Not so fast. Tech Expert Jennifer Jolly joins our Laura Cavanaugh to share how your care might just help save you and the grid sooner than you think. Traditionally, storm season hits in October and blackouts follow. Last year, nearly one in four U.S. households lost power. Most outages dragged on for six hours or longer. Federal energy officials warn the problem could double by 2030 if the grid doesn’t catch up. But instead of relying only on flashlights or gas generators, more families are turning to something already in their garage: electric vehicles. The GMC Sierra EV AT4 and GM Energy Home System not only charge your car, they turn it into a backup power source capable of running essential appliances and even medical devices during an outage. With bidirectional charging, an EV can run the fridge, power the Wi-Fi, and keep the lights on when the grid goes down. “When the power went during our first big wind storm of the year right here last week, this GMC Sierra EV AT4 kept everything up and running,” said Jolly. It’s GM’s EV solution for grid disruptions and extreme weather. The key is the GM Energy Home System. It’s like a personal ATM for power. You can deposit energy from the grid when it’s cheap or from solar panels during the day and withdraw that power at night or when the grid goes down. When your EV plugs in with groundbreaking vehicle-to-home bidirectional capability, you have a second power source to keep your essential home systems running for days. Jolly says local utility companies may actually pay you to use your EVs. San Diego Gas & Electric may pay up to $2700 a year to use your EV. “Most GM EVs already have bidirectional capability,” said Jolly. “By this time next year, they’ll all have it across the EV fleet.” The GM Energy Home System is future-proofing your biggest personal gadget, your vehicle and your home, during natural disasters and utility outages. For more information, visit www.gmenergy.gm.com Stay plugged in to the latest EV technology and read all about Jolly’s experience at www.techish.com Sponsored by: General Motors