IMPORTANT

Empower EV program

Support for home EV charging

Get a free $500 Level 2 charger

 

The Empower EV program offers income-eligible customers:

  • A free Level 2 charger valued at $500  
  • Up to $2,000 in financial incentives to help cover the costs of electrical panel upgrades, if needed 

 

Eligible customers must:

  • Meet income qualifications
  • Reside in a single-family home
  • Have purchased or leased an EV within six months of application submission

Program details

  • No cost to enroll.
  • PG&E will provide one free Level 2 charger valued at $500 (hardwires or plugs in to 220+ Volt outlet).
  • PG&E will cover up to $2,000 in costs for electrical panel upgrades per single-family home. Panel upgrades must be done by Synergy Companies, Empower EV's licensed electricians.
  • Program offerings may be limited and based on availability.

    important notice icon Note: Customers may choose one or both options listed above: Level 2 charger and/or $2,000 for electrical panel upgrades.

Eligibility

  • Customer must agree to program terms and conditions (PDF).
  • Customer must have an active PG&E residential Electric Service Agreement.
  • Customer must verify income eligibility (within 400 percent of the federal poverty level):
    • $54,630 for a one-person household
    • $73,240 for a two-person household
    • $92,120 for a three-person household
    • $111,000 for a four-person household
    • $129,880 for a five-person household
  • Customer will have purchased or leased a new or used EV (fully battery electric or plug-in hybrid) in the six months prior to applying to this program.
  • Customer must use the program’s licensed electrician, Synergy Companies, for panel upgrade work and is financially responsible for any costs above the $2,000 project cost cap.
    • Please note: The availability of panel upgrades is limited. Electric assessments and panel upgrades in the following counties are experiencing extremely long wait times: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba. Eligible residents in these counties can still receive a free Level 2 charger.
  • Customer will be automatically enrolled in PG&E’s Home Charging EV2-A Time-of-Use rate plan and must remain on the rate for a minimum of six billing cycles. Learn more about the Home Charging rate plan.

Income verification options

Option 1: Applicants can be income-verified by the PG&E authorized implementer, GRID Alternatives. Once you submit your application, GRID Alternatives will reach out with instructions on how to submit tax documents or other proof of income.

 

Option 2: Applicants may also qualify for Empower EV if they participated in, and can provide proof of, enrollment in at least one of these public assistance programs:

  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • Clean Vehicle Assistance Program (CVAP)
  • Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP)
  • Drive Clean in the San Joaquin
  • Replace Your Ride (RYR)
  • Clean Cars for All (CC4A)
  • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)
  • CalWORKs (TANF) or Tribal TANF
  • Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal only)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A & B)
  • National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  • Medicaid/Medi-Cal (under age 65)
  • Medicaid/Medi-Cal (age 65 and over)

 

If you have questions, email evs@gridalternatives.org or call 855-283-4638.

Additional resources

Pre-Owned EV Rebate

Purchase or lease an eligible pre-owned EV and receive up to $4,000 in rebates.

Residential EV rates

See how much the rate can lower your energy costs.

EV programs and resources

Access helpful tools and find valuable EV information for your home.