Data center backlash could reach automakers’ new battery storage plans Ford, GM and Tesla are turning excess battery capacity into a growing stationary energy-storage business as EV demand falls short of earlier expectations—but that opportunity could also expose automakers to the growing backlash against data centers. – Tesla, Ford and GM are expanding into stationary battery storage for data centers, utilities and the broader power grid. – Softer EV demand has left automakers with battery manufacturing capacity that can be redirected toward energy storage and new revenue streams. – Tesla’s Megapack business is already well established, with SpaceX purchasing $295 million worth of Megapacks in Q2 alone. – Ford Energy plans to begin producing stationary storage systems at its Kentucky plant in 2027, targeting 20 gigawatt-hours of annual capacity. – GM’s Ultium Cells venture with LG Energy Solution has begun producing lithium iron phosphate cells for stationary storage at its Tennessee facility following a $70 million investment. – GM also plans to produce sodium-ion battery cells for storage beginning in 2028 and is exploring second-life applications for EV batteries. – At least 75 data center projects worth roughly $130 billion faced opposition in the first quarter, with concerns ranging from electricity costs and water use to noise and land use. – Battery storage can nevertheless help reduce peak grid demand, improve reliability and support renewable energy. The opportunity is significant, but it comes with a new type of risk for automakers. As Ford, GM and Tesla move deeper into the energy business, their batteries could increasingly connect them to controversial AI and data center projects—meaning automakers may have to manage not only the economics of energy storage, but also the political and community backlash surrounding where that energy is being used.