What the Smart Charge Bundle includes
- Applies to
- Eligible PG&E residential customers in Northern and Central California
- Hardware
- GM Energy PowerShift or PowerUp 2 charger at no hardware cost
- Where
- Participating Chevrolet, GMC or Cadillac dealers
- Offer ends
- February 2027 or when program capacity is reached
- Credit
- GM says participants may receive a $15 credit each month through EV Charge Manager
- Extra savings
- GM says shifting charging to cheaper, lower-demand periods could save participants another $50 monthly at most
GM Energy and Pacific Gas and Electric have launched the Smart Charge Bundle, which packages a home charger with PG&E smart-charging incentives at the dealership point of sale (opens in a new tab). The offer is aimed at eligible PG&E residential customers in Northern and Central California. Buyers can pick either the GM Energy PowerShift or the PowerUp 2 charger without paying for the hardware itself.
GM describes the PowerUp 2 as a Level 2 charger. It says the GM Energy PowerShift Charger supports bidirectional operation with a compatible EV, separately sold GM Energy equipment and a home equipped for the system with appropriate grid interconnection. With that setup, the EV can supply the home during an outage; participation in future vehicle-to-grid programs remains a possibility when those programs become available. Customers separately pay installation and permitting costs, plus any necessary electrical upgrades.
GM says managed charging aims to schedule charging for cheaper periods, with drivers able to override sessions as needed. WeaveGrid provides software intended to reduce local grid strain by managing charging. GM also cites its shared ambition with PG&E for grid interaction involving as many as 52,000 EVs by 2030.
How to get it
Eligible customers must buy or lease a new EV from Chevrolet, GMC or Cadillac through a participating dealer within PG&E's service area. The offer ends in February 2027, or earlier if program capacity fills. Customers must occupy a qualifying detached or single-family residence and be authorized to install the charger there. Receiving the charger requires using GM Energy's network of preferred installers, completing enrollment and accepting the applicable program terms.
Drivers need an active OnStar plan with location services switched on, and they must not already take part in a different qualifying smart charging or demand-response program. GM tells customers to check with their dealer about whether spots remain and whether they qualify, since capacity is limited. What a customer actually receives in credits and savings varies with the program terms, how they charge and their utility's rates.
If you already have a qualifying smart-charging enrollment or no OnStar plan, check those two items with the dealer before counting on the free hardware.