Zac Quinn 
The Ford F-150 Lightning offers a neat feature called bi-directional charging, enabling the truck to act as an off-grid power source for tools, appliances, other electric vehicles, or even an entire house should the power go out. But there’s soon to be more than just the Lightning that can perform that party trick. During the GMC Hummer EV SUV drive in California, engineers demonstrated the newfound bi-directional charging capabilities for the 2024 model year.
GMC Hummer EV Bi-Direction Charging: Details
Bi-directional charging has proven helpful on many occasions, helping in emergencies, powering businesses, or even weddings. That’s why General Motors has decided to fit the GMC Hummer EV with a bi-directional onboard charger. According to GMC, this will replace the old 11.5-kW charger with a new 19.2-kW maximum power one. This will enable even faster AC charging and bi-directional charging for the first time.
It should be noted, however, that the bi-directional charging feature on the Hummer EV SUT and SUV is rolling out now, and models built up to this switch will not be retrofit. Sorry, early adopters.
Though the GMC Hummer EV is challenging to come by, its colossal battery pack is perfect for powering a great many things. The 212-kWh capacity is the equivalent of more than 15 Tesla Powerwalls, enough to charge a Tesla Model 3 Long Range from 0 to 100% twice. That’s pretty impressive, though it would be a painfully slow charge at the maximum of 6-kW. Comparatively speaking, the Ford F-150 Lightning can output up to 9.6 kW with Power Pro Onboard without needing external adapters.
GMC is calling the new feature Power Station Pro, and unsurprisingly it’s intended to compete with Ford’s Power Pro Onboard. The GMC Sierra EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV will launch with bi-directional charging capabilities, as well.
The new 19.2-kW onboard charger will be standard on GMC Hummer EV, starting with the EV2X trims, which is the base model that will launch ahead of the Edition 1, EV3X trims. The Edition 1 of the Hummer EV SUV will also get it for free. However, the cables and accessories needed for the new feature are sold separately. The bi-directional charging capability puts GM among the trendsetters of the EV industry, as Tesla has refused to join the fray, claiming few people would use the feature. But, it’s always nice to have something available when you need it, then not have it at all.
