GM's Energy PowerBank Launches As A New Tesla Powerwall Alternative: How They Compare

GM just announced a new energy storage option aimed at EV owners in the U.S. called the GM Energy PowerBank. This home battery will store electrical power from the grid or home solar power sources, allowing users to have a backup energy source in case of a power outage or even to help manage costs by charging during off-peak hours and then delivering power to your house when electrical prices are at its peak.

GM launched its vehicle-to-home (V2H) system with the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV, and this electric truck can power your home for days if needed. The GM Energy home bundle was initially only available in a few states, including California, Florida, New York, and Texas, but the launch of the GM Energy PowerBank will also expand the availability of GM's home energy system to all 50 states.

This system is essentially similar to Tesla's home energy system offering and will be one of the great Tesla Powerwall alternatives you can buy. Furthermore, GM Energy is one of the few brands that offer a comprehensive home energy solutions that integrates directly with a car's V2H feature (provided that you drive a GM EV).

Since the Tesla Powerwall and GM Energy PowerBank offer almost the same features and function, the main differentiator between the two systems would be the vehicle brand. That's because both systems only support the V2H functions of the cars offered by their mother companies at the moment, although we hope that could change in the future.

So, if you currently drive a Tesla, you likely need to stick with the Tesla Powerwall, and if you prefer Chevrolets and Cadillacs, then you better stick with the GM Energy PowerBank. But if you don't plan to use the V2H feature and only want the Tesla Powerwall or GM Energy PowerBank to act as a backup for your home's electrical system, then you can pretty much use both brands with most major inverter brands.

The other major difference between the Tesla Powerwall and GM Energy PowerBank is the capacity options. At the moment, Tesla only offers the Powerwall in 13.5 kWh capacity. On the other hand, GM offers the Energy PowerBank in either 10.6 kWh or 17.7 kWh variants. Nevertheless, both brands are modular, so you can combine multiple batteries to get the capacity you desire.

If you want to use GM's system, you need to shell out $12,700 for the GM Energy Home System, which includes the GM Energy PowerShift Charger, GM Energy Home Hub, Inverter, and a GM Energy PowerBank. On the other hand, Tesla's Powerwall is estimated to cost $12,750 to install. Note that both estimates do not include labor costs and government incentives, so your mileage may vary.