GM Is Giving Away Free EV Chargers—And Paying New Owners To ChargeInsideEVs[email protected] (Iulian Dnistran)Thu, September 24, 2026 at 10:46 AM UTCAdd us on GoogleGM Energy V2HCustomers can get a $1,999 Level 2 home charger, plus monthly credits in their account if they help balance the grid.General Motors has partnered with Pacific Gas and Electric to bring big benefits to new EV customers.Eligible buyers can get a free home charger, plus monthly credits on their energy bills if they help keep the grid in good shape.All current GM EVs are eligible for the Smart Charge Bundle.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.General Motors Vehicle-to-Home (V2H)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.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen 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.How it worksWhen everything is up and running, participating customers can get a $15 monthly bill credit and may save up to an additional $50 per month by shifting charging to times when electricity costs and demand are lower. That's great news for everybody, but bear in mind that the additional savings can vary depending on charging behavior and utility rates.AdvertisementAdvertisementTo make it all work, GM and PG&E tapped into WeaveGrid's managed charging software, which works automatically based on the utility's needs. Outside of California, the same system enables GM EV owners to charge when energy is cheaper without constantly monitoring their electricity price.When it comes to which charger new owners should choose for their EV, the basic PowerUp 2 should do just fine. It's connected to the internet via built-in Wi-Fi and can deliver up to 11.5 kilowatts of power on a 48-ampere circuit, adding up to 27.2 miles of range per hour. It's available with a J1772 or a NACS connector, so customers can choose what fits their car from the get-go. (All 2027 GM EVs come from the factory with a NACS port.)Those who want to use their car's high-voltage battery to power their house should go for the PowerShift Charger, which is compatible with additional hardware that makes bidirectional charging possible. It can also be paired with a standalone home battery.Related StoriesDon't Forget: Many DC Fast Charging Adapters Are Technically ProhibitedVoltpost's Lamppost EV Chargers Are Expanding, With Free Top-Ups In BrooklynWhat If We're Thinking About EV Charging All Wrong?New York City Is Getting 700 EV Chargers Right On The Curb