GM provides free overnight charging to Chevy electric vehicle owners in Texas.

General Motors has established a collaboration with Reliant Energy to provide free overnight charging to certain Chevrolet electric vehicle owners in Texas. Chevy owners who enroll in Reliant's electric vehicle charging plan will receive monthly credits on their bill that cover costs incurred between 11 PM and 6 AM. To take advantage of this offer, customers must designate a specific electric vehicle through GM Energy's Smart Charging Portal, the automaker's home energy subsidiary. Reliant is, in turn, a subsidiary of NRG Energy.

This initiative adds to other promotions aimed at reducing charging costs for electric vehicle owners, in an effort to attract consumers who are still skeptical. Recently, Ford also announced a similar proposal in Texas, partnering with one of the state's leading electricity providers to offer free charging to some customers at home. The brand also has a promotion that includes free home chargers for all new electric vehicle buyers until the end of the year.

Both GM and Reliant claim that the energy used for the overnight charging of electric vehicles will come from renewable sources, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs). This method is common among private companies seeking to enhance their environmental image. By acquiring an REC, a company can claim that it is using 100% renewable energy, even though it may still partially operate on fossil fuels.