A new trial will offer $1,500 to drivers/owners who agree to participate in a new charging program. The program is scheduled to last 18 months, and will have 100 BMW i3 owners, For owners who charge at home, the $1,500 repate will be paid in gift cards, if they agree to let PG&E automatically delay charging for an hour, to avoid peak periods. PG&E covers much of Northern California, and this is the first part of their new "BMW i ChargeForward" program. See more complete details at:
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/usa/pressDetail.html?title=the-bmw-group-together-with-pacific-gas-electric-company-announces-the-bmw-i-chargeforward-program&outputChannelId=9&id=T0199502EN_US&left_menu_item=node__5236 Essentially, BMW has the right to request a "stop charging, wait an hour, restart charging" pattern if PG&E needs. Owners will be texted a message telling them about the delay in attaining full charge. Owners can opt out of any request, based on their charging needs.
The second part of this program takes batteries out of MINI E vehicles at the end of their life, and takes them to Mountain View, CA, where they are used as energy storage for the power grid.
