Ever wished your backup battery was, well, bigger?

In this episode of Techishly Jenn, I sit down with Lynn Ames, GM’s behind-the-scenes “energy whisperer,” to unpack the bold idea behind GM Energy: electric vehicles that don’t just drive you to the store — they can keep your house running when the grid goes dark. We talk about vehicle-to-home (V2H), vehicle-to-grid (V2G), real-life blackout stories, safety, incentives, affordability, and what it takes to make 100-year-old industries work together.

Quick note: we recorded just before GM reported a $1.6B EV loss — so we also tackle the big question head-on: can cars that give back still move the company (and the country) forward?

Also — Producer Scott talks about his latest Techish review of the Garmin Bounce 2 smartwatch for kids. Can it give his kids a little more freedom and give him fewer worries about letting them roam? What works, and what doesn’t, for parents and kids alike.

🔑 What You’ll Learn

• How V2H actually works in a blackout: what stays on, what switches over, and why it’s silent, seamless, and fume-free.
• From driveway to micro-grid: the path from V2H to V2G, where millions of EVs can stabilize the grid — and potentially earn you money.
• Control, safety, and security: who decides when energy flows, how protections work, and why mobility needs always come first.
• Real incentives, real numbers: rebates, utility programs, and why a $499 “generator” isn’t the only smart family investment we talked about.
• Access & affordability: under-$30K entries (hello, Bolt return), used-EV dynamics, lower maintenance, and where costs are falling fastest.
• Women leading the future of energy + mobility: two women talking candidly about the next era of vehicles, power, and family resilience.

📌 Episode Resources

• Can EV’s Save the Grid? Jenn’s USA Today article about powering her home with an EV for a week – [link]
• Jennifer’s Hands-on Video with the GMC Sierra – [link]
• Jennifer’s Hands-on Video Powering Her Home – [link]
• GM Energy: V2H, PowerBank, utility partnerships, and program eligibility – [link]
• Getting Started with V2H: home assessment, transfer switch basics, and safety checklist – [link]
• Find Incentives: federal, state, and utility rebates for EVs and home energy – [link]
• Techish coverage and hands-on tests from Jenn’s blackout experiences – [link]
• Scott’s Techish coverage and hands-on review of the Garmin Bounce 2 – [link]

💬 Tell Us What You Think

Would you let your car keep your lights on — or sell...