Con Edison Increases Rewards in Smart Electric Vehicle Program
Con Edison is increasing the reward for electric vehicle owners in its SmartCharge New York program, doubling the amount participants earn by charging overnight.
Starting April 1, owners of electric vehicles in New York City and Westchester County will earn 10 cents in e-gift rewards for each kilowatt hour of charging during the off-peak hours of midnight to 8 a.m. And from June to September, an EV owner may earn an additional $20 a month for not charging between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays.

With the increased incentive, an average EV owner who participates in SmartCharge can earn up to $500 a year, plus $150 for signing up. (Interested drivers can get more information and apply at www.fleetcarma.com/smartchargenewyork.)
Con Edison is announcing the enhanced incentive in conjunction with the New York International Auto Show. The company estimates that with the new SmartCharge incentive, the cost of operating an electric vehicle can be less than 25 percent of the cost of operating an average gasoline-powered vehicle.
Con Edison began SmartCharge last year to research the impact the growing number of electric vehicles in New York City and Westchester County will have on the electrical delivery system. The company uses that information as it plans investments in its electrical delivery system.
The company and its customers benefit when EV drivers avoid charging during times of peak demand for power. Reduced demand on the grid at those peak times helps Con Edison maintain its industry-leading reliability.
Each SmartCharge participant gets a free cellular-enabled, FleetCarma C2 connected device that plugs into the vehicle’s on-board diagnostic port or connector. That allows Con Edison to know the location, time, and energy consumed during a charging session.
Drivers can go to an online portal to see interesting and valuable data on their driving efficiency, carbon footprint, battery health and more. Participants can also track their rewards and share their stats on social media.

Nearly 1,000 electric vehicles are enrolled. Those owners not only earn rewards, they also help keep the New York region clean and sustainable. That’s because electric vehicles create 75 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions as gas-powered vehicles.
In addition to increasing the per-kilowatt hour payment for drivers, Con Edison is now rewarding sales consultants and managers at participating EV dealerships for referring their EV customers to SmartCharge New York. A sales consultant can get $150 and a manager can get $50 for referring an EV driver who enrolls.
SmartCharge Rewards can be redeemed for an assortment of e-gift cards, digital pre-paid cards, and nonprofit donations.
Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $49 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam to about 3.4 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For additional financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com.