Buying a new General Motors EV might land customers a free home charger and some pocket money to go along with it, all while keeping the grid in good shape.
That’s all part of the new Smart Charge bundle offered by the American automaker in partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), which is now live in Northern and Central California. The catch? Owners have to let their utility choose when their EV is being charged to avoid straining the grid during peak hours, through a feature called managed charging.
By letting the car or charger communicate over the internet with the energy provider, charging can be started and stopped remotely to help balance the grid, though the feature can be overridden by the driver.
When buying any new Chevrolet, GMC, or Cadillac EV from a participating dealer, customers can get a complimentary GM Energy PowerShift home charger, which retails for up to $1,999, or a PowerUp 2 charger, which usually goes for $899. The buyer has to be a PG&E residential customer, and the costs for installing, permitting, and doing any electrical upgrades related to the home charger need to be covered by the customer.
The installation must be done through GM’s preferred installer, Electrum, which currently has a $1,499 standard package that includes permitting and no more than 35 feet of conduit and conductor. Trenching and panel upgrades cost extra.
What’s more, the car must have an active OnStar service plan, but all new GM vehicles get eight years of included service.
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