GM Energy Home Backup
GM Energy home backup installation in Auburn and across the Placer, El Dorado and Nevada County foothills from a GM Energy certified installer — one of very few in the Sierra foothills — and a licensed, insured California electrical contractor. Home battery storage plus bidirectional vehicle-to-home charging — so a compatible electric truck or SUV can carry your house through the multi-day PSPS and storm outages that are a fact of life out here. Panel assessment, dedicated circuits, permitting and PG&E interconnection all handled.
Service Fit for a King
Meadow Vista, Lake of the Pines, Lincoln, Newcastle, Penryn, Loomis
A GM Energy Certified Installer in Auburn & the Sierra Foothills
King Electric & Solar is a GM Energy certified installer — one of very few in the Sierra foothills — installing GM Energy home backup systems throughout Auburn, Placer County, El Dorado County and the Nevada County foothills. Certification matters here: this equipment ties your vehicle, your panel and the utility together, and it should be commissioned by a team trained and authorized on it rather than by whoever is willing to attempt it. GM Energy is a different idea from a wall battery: alongside dedicated home storage, it lets a compatible electric vehicle become the backup power source for your house through bidirectional charging. For a household that already owns or is considering an electric truck or SUV, that is an enormous battery already sitting in the driveway — far larger than any wall-mounted home unit. As a licensed, insured electrical contractor that already does a great deal of EV charger installation work out here, we handle both halves of this: the vehicle side and the home backup side.
Home Storage and Bidirectional Charging, Working Together
A GM Energy setup can include some or all of the following, depending on how far you want to take it:
- Home battery storage — dedicated wall or floor-mounted storage that behaves like any other home battery: charge off-peak or off solar, discharge when it is expensive or when the grid is down.
- Bidirectional charging equipment — the hardware that lets energy flow out of a compatible vehicle and into the house, not just in.
- The transfer and control gear — what safely islands your home from the grid so power flows to your circuits and never back onto utility lines.
- Everyday EV charging — the same installation covers normal fast home charging. See EV charger installation and NEMA 14-50 outlet installation.
Vehicle-to-Home: Why It Matters Out Here
Foothills outages are not always short. PSPS shutoffs during fire weather and storm damage on rural circuits can run well past a day, and that is where vehicle-to-home changes the maths:
- The capacity is in a different league — an electric truck battery dwarfs a typical home wall battery, which turns a multi-day outage from an emergency into an inconvenience.
- No fuel to store or stabilize — unlike a generator there is no propane tank, no annual service and nothing to start.
- You can recharge it — paired with solar, or by driving somewhere with power, the vehicle can be topped back up mid-outage.
- The obvious trade-off, stated plainly — power your house from the truck and you are spending range. If you need the vehicle and multi-day backup at once, a standby generator alongside it is the honest answer.
What It Takes Electrically — and Whether Your Home Is Ready
Bidirectional charging and home storage ask considerably more of your electrical system than a standard EV charger does. Before quoting we look at the whole picture: your main panel and service capacity (older or full panels usually need work first — see electrical panel upgrades and subpanel installation), the dedicated circuits and conduit runs the equipment requires, where the gear can be mounted with correct clearances, which circuits you actually want backed up, and the electrical permit plus PG&E interconnection that storage requires. We also give you a straight answer about vehicle compatibility — bidirectional capability depends on the specific vehicle and equipment, so we confirm your model works before anyone spends money. Weighing this against other options? See Tesla Powerwall, Enphase batteries and solar & battery storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are you actually a certified GM Energy installer? Yes — and there are very few of us in this area. Certification means we are trained and authorized on the equipment, so specification, installation, commissioning and support all come from a local team that knows the system rather than one learning it on your house.
- What is GM Energy? A home energy line-up built around storage and bidirectional charging — the ability for a compatible electric vehicle to power your home, alongside dedicated home battery storage.
- Can my vehicle really power my house? With compatible equipment and a compatible vehicle, yes. Capability varies by model, so we confirm yours before quoting rather than after.
- How long could it run my home? Considerably longer than a typical wall battery, because the vehicle pack is far larger — but it depends on the loads you back up and how much range you are willing to spend.
- Do I still need a regular EV charger? The same installation generally covers everyday charging. See EV charger installation.
- Will my electrical panel handle it? Often it needs attention first. We assess the panel and service capacity up front rather than discovering it on installation day.
- Is a permit required? Yes — an electrical permit, and a PG&E interconnection application for the storage. We handle both.
- GM Energy, a Powerwall, or a generator? They solve overlapping problems differently. If you already drive a compatible EV, vehicle-to-home is remarkable value since you have largely bought the battery. If you do not, a Powerwall, Enphase batteries or a Generac generator may fit better. Ask us and we will tell you straight.
Why Choose us
We deliver a premium experience, without a premium price
Experienced Technicians
We show up on time and ready to get the job done right.
Quality Workmanship
We focus on the details so you don’t have to. Your satisfaction is our top priority.
Transparent Payments
Fair, transparent rates with no hidden fees.
People are talking about us
King Electric and Solar exceeded our expectations! Their expert team delivered top-quality electrical and solar services on time. Excellent communication, reliable work, and great value — highly recommend them!
Excellent experience with King Electric and Solar! The installation was quick, neat, and affordable. Their team explained everything clearly, and our solar system works perfectly. Truly dependable professionals!
Special Offers
FREE
Panel inspection during electrical diagnostic tests
Call for more Details
$100 Off
EV Charger installations
until June 31, 2026
Call for more Details
$200 OFF
Main Electrical Panel Installations and Upgrades
Call for more Details
Ready to Get Started?
Are You Ready to work with Contractors you can trust?