Utility EV Rate Structures
Managed charging and vehicle-to-grid programs
Programs that pay drivers, or the companies that manage their charging, to shift when an EV charges or to send power back from the battery. These analyses separate what a program pays from what it costs to take part.
Drive Economics has no affiliation with, sponsorship from, or endorsement by any automaker, dealer, charger maker, utility or program named here.
The short answer
- Managed charging (sometimes called V1G) shifts when an EV charges; vehicle-to-grid (V2G) also sends power back. Managed charging needs only a compatible car or charger; V2G needs a bidirectional vehicle, a bidirectional charger and utility approval.
- Program payments are gross. Hardware, installation, interconnection and any extra battery wear come out of them before anything is net.
- In most programs a utility or aggregator makes the dispatch decisions within limits the driver sets, such as a minimum state of charge by morning.
- Grid value is measured in kilowatts available during peak hours. The VPP Economics vehicle-to-grid page compares what programs pay per kW.
Analyses and guides
Program reviews show the rules, payment and enrollment requirements for each utility.
EV Managed Charging and VPP Programs: What They Pay
One typical EV run through a dozen U.S. managed charging and virtual power plant programs: annual value, event rules, and how V1G and V2G pay.
Read →V2G Buyer’s Guide 2026: Vehicles, Chargers, Programs
Which vehicles, bidirectional chargers and utility programs support vehicle-to-grid (V2G) in 2026, what they pay, and what to check before buying.
Read →ComEd EV Demand Response: Rebates, Peak Time Savings
ComEd demand response for EV owners: smart charger rebates of $1,000–$2,500, Peak Time Savings and VPP options layered on top of an EV rate.
Read →Con Edison SmartCharge New York: EV Rewards Analyzed
Con Edison SmartCharge New York pays EV drivers for off-peak charging and summer peak avoidance. How the rewards work and what a typical driver earns.
Read →Xcel Colorado EV Programs: Rebates and Charging Perks
Xcel Colorado EV programs beyond the rate: a $500 smart charger rebate, Optimize Your Charge and WeaveGrid-managed Charging Perks. When each pays.
Read →About these analyses
Program terms are dated on each page. Payments shown are gross program payments, not net returns.
Drive Economics has no affiliation with, sponsorship from, or endorsement by any automaker, dealer, charger maker, utility or program named here.