SmartCharge New York - rebates for charging in ConEd territory

There's a new program for ConEd customers called SmartCharge Rewards that tracks your car's charging and gives you points for charging during off-peak hours. The points are redeemable for gift cards (e.g., Amazon). The tracking is done with a device that plugs into the car's OBD port. The device has its own cellular connection to report charging details.

Here is how you earn points (1000 points = $1 in towards gift cards; "C2" is the tracking device):

1. Earn an initial 50,000 rewards points ($50) by installing and activating the C2.

2. June 1 – September 30:
Earn 5,000 rewards points ($5) each month by keeping the C2 installed in your vehicle and charging in the Con Edison Service territory. Earn 20,000 bonus rewards points ($20) each month you do not charge during high peak hours (2 pm – 6 pm, Monday – Friday).
Earn an additional 50 rewards points ($0.05) per kilowatt hour (kWh) by charging any day during off-peak hours (12 midnight – 8 am).

3. October 1 – May 31:
Earn 5,000 rewards points ($5) each month by keeping the C2 installed in your vehicle and charging in the Con Edison Service territory.
Earn an additional 50 rewards points ($0.05) per kilowatt hour (kWh) by charging any day during off-peak hours (12 midnight – 8 am)

4. Earn bonus 10,000 rewards points ($10) by completing a survey.

Click to expand...

So, at a minimum, you get a 5 cents/kWh discount on charging during off-peak (midnight - 8 am) hours.

This is pretty neat, although I wish they just paid customers in cash or ConEd bill credits, rather than futzing with gift cards.

Also, there's a generous $20 bonus for not charging during summer peak hours (2 pm - 6 pm), but the Volt likes to draw a little charge now and then to maintain temperature or whatever, which I don't think you can prevent except by keeping it unplugged during those hours. That's kind of annoying. (I guess one could prevent it by using a smart charging station that forbids any current draw between those hours - but I just use the charger that came with the Volt.)