SAN ANTONIO, April 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Since CPS Energy's President & CEO, Paula Gold-Williams, created the Flexible Path^SM strategy in 2017, the nation's largest municipally owned, fully-integrated electric and natural gas utility has focused on seeking new and innovative ways to reduce air emissions to create a cleaner San Antonio energy future.  This is critical to how the company continues to balance its Guiding Pillars to best serve its customers.

Together with CPS Energy's diverse power generating units, as well as its award-winning energy conservation programs and significant renewable energy resources, electric vehicles (EVs) are now another avenue for the utility to help reduce the community's carbon footprint. EVs will directly help our community reduce air emissions from transportation.

In line with its Flexible Path strategy, CPS Energy is adding two new programs for customers who charge their EV at home. With the introduction of its FlexEV^SM brand, the utility recognizes the need to improve the environment by being a major supporter of EV adoption.  CPS Energy is therefore unveiling new products and services to encourage drivers to consider alternative vehicles.

"No more standing at the gas pump, no more oil changes, no more tail pipe exhaust, just a smooth ride and the sound of the wind. What is not to love about driving electric?" Said Drew Higgins, Senior Director of Products and Services for CPS Energy. "I am an EV advocate and am enthusiastic about helping San Antonio embrace EVs."

CPS Energy is introducing two pilot programs that incentivize EV home charging during off-peak energy demand hours and that help address drivers' range anxiety, which is the fear of running out of power while en route. The utility's new and unique FlexEV Rewards programs provide rebates for charging responsibly at home when the demand for energy is low. The company's two new programs are:

• FlexEV Smart Rewards – A participant in this program will receive a one-time $250 enrollment credit on their utility bill. The customer will also receive a $5 monthly credit, equivalent to about 120 miles of driving, for allowing CPS Energy to remotely connect and carefully manage the customer's charging device, as needed. This would only occur when energy demand is high, between the hours of 2 p.m. and 9 p.m., Monday through Friday. Specifically, if needed, CPS Energy would manage the flow of energy to the charger to help take pressure off the grid, which is always good to do.
• FlexEV Off-Peak Rewards – A participant in this program will receive a one-time $125 enrollment credit on their utility bill. The customer will also receive a $10 monthly credit, equivalent to more than 200 miles of driving, for voluntarily choosing to limit charging to no more than two times a month between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., Monday through Friday.

"Charging your EV is the easiest connection you'll make," Higgins continued. "If you're like most commuters in San Antonio you drive about 30 miles a day, and an all-electric vehicle has enough juice to get you to work and back. Recharging the battery overnight takes around one or two hours using your level 2 charging station. We want to get EV drivers in the habit of charging at night when the demand for energy is lower and our new programs reinforce that habit."

For customers who would like more information before deciding if an EV is right for them, CPS Energy's website cpsenergy.com/ev includes the following resources:

• Carbon Reduction Calculator – provides users with a carbon reduction tool that compares their current vehicle to an EV
• Charging Solutions – describes products and services for charging EVs
• Benefits & Facts – provides reasons to drive an EV
• Fuel Savings Calculator – provides users with potential fuel cost savings when comparing their current vehicle to an EV
• Incentives – references information on Federal Tax Credits and available rebates
• EV Models – furnishes basic information about available EVs on the market
• FAQ & Helpful Terms – addresses frequently asked questions and explains definitions

While overnight charging is the best for the environment, CPS Energy understands that there are instances when charging during the day is necessary.  EV drivers also need to charge when they are out and about.  CPS Energy has 76 local ChargePoint® charging stations in its FlexEV Public Charging program. In support of public charging, the utility's program includes a flat-rate pilot program.  This program has a low annual fee of $96 for unlimited access to charging stations – at any time of day or night. If customers do not subscribe to the flat rate pilot program, they can still use the charging stations on a Pay-As-You-Go basis.

The newly developed FlexEV brand is further evidence that CPS Energy continues to put a focus on forward-thinking programs aimed at keeping customer bills affordable while enhancing Reliability. As part of the utility's overall Flexible Path strategy, FlexEV, along with its FlexPOWER Bundle^SM and FlexSTEP^SM initiatives announced earlier this year, demonstrate a solid commitment to remain a leader in the fast-evolving energy industry.  

Customers can learn more about the FlexEV Rewards programs, see a list of eligible chargers, and enroll in home charging programs by visiting Charging Solutions on cpsenergy.com/ev.

About CPS Energy

Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation's largest public power, natural gas, and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced service to 860,934 electric and 358,495 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers' combined energy bills rank among the lowest of the nation's 20 largest cities – while generating $8 billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio for more than seven decades. As a trusted and strong community partner, we continuously focus on job creation, economic development, and educational investment. True to our People First philosophy, we are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the community is demonstrated through our employees' volunteerism in giving back to our city and programs aimed at bringing value to our customers. CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation.

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SOURCE CPS Energy