PG&E and Ford Accelerating Vehicle-to-Home Technology in California

PG&E and Ford Motor Company today announced that the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning (model years 2022 or 2023) paired with Ford Charge Station Pro & Home Integration System has been approved as the first equipment set eligible for participation in PG&E’s residential Vehicle-to-Everything pilot.

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-WPAoB0B9g

PG&E customers can now enroll and participate in the first phase of the pilot with this product set to test backup power applications -- also known as vehicle-to-home or V2H -- including using the pickup to power a home during a power outage or to offset grid power usage during times of peak energy demand. Phase 2 of the pilot, which will test vehicle-to-grid capabilities such as exporting power from the vehicle to the grid, is anticipated to launch in the second half of 2024.

The pilot is open to up to 1,000 residential customers who will receive at least $2,500 for enrolling, and up to an additional $2,175 in participation-based incentives.

Through the pilot, PG&E is working with automakers, such as Ford, and EV charging suppliers to explore how light-duty, passenger EVs at single-family homes can help customers and the electric grid in various ways. These include providing backup power to the home if the power is out, optimizing EV charging and discharging to integrate more renewable resources and help customers reduce overall power usage, and aligning EV charging and discharging with the real-time cost of energy procurement, helping customers save money and reduce energy costs.

“Our goal is to create the most robust vehicle-grid-integration portfolio in the world,” said Mike Delaney, Vice President, Utility Partnerships and Innovation, PG&E. “At PG&E we are accelerating clean energy innovation and providing the platform, expertise, and cross-industry leadership to enable our customers with a range of options that unleash the full potential of their electric vehicles.”

With hundreds of Ford Intelligent Backup Power systems now installed across the country, including dozens in California with more coming every week, Ford and PG&E look to advance the technology with customers in Northern and Central California.

“The battery and connectivity features in our electric vehicles are bringing forward opportunities never before possible with gas powered vehicles, creating new ways to save money, support the electric grid and drive toward lower-carbon charging,” said Bill Crider, senior director of global charging and energy services, Ford Motor Company. “Our growing collaboration with PG&E is another strong example of providing customers with better EV ownership experiences, while also supporting our shared grid and sustainability aspirations.”

For Ford, today’s announcement builds on the automaker’s recent agreement with BMW Group and American Honda Motor Co. to create ChargeScape, LLC, a new co-owned company that will create a single, cost-effective platform connecting electric utilities, automakers and interested electric vehicle customers. ChargeScape aims to benefit both EV customers and the electric utility industry in the U.S. and Canada by enabling EV customers to earn financial benefits through a variety of managed charging and energy-sharing applications.

Together, through PG&E’s residential V2X customers, Ford and PG&E will optimize V2H applications with the pickup and bi-directional charging system.

The companies aim to test additional bi-directional charging and vehicle-grid-integration applications through subsequent phases of the pilot in 2024 and beyond to unlock further value for customers.

For more information or to enroll, visit PG&E’s Vehicle to Everything pilot program website.