What is the Honda SmartCharge Program?

In a nutshell: The Honda SmartCharge Program helps Honda Fit EV drivers further reduce their environmental footprint while earning monetary rewards. It’s part of Honda’s plans to make two-thirds of their global automobile sales from electrified vehicles by 2030 and a crucial step in their commitment to a cleaner, greener automotive future. As an end user, the way it works is relatively simple. Let’s review.

Everyone knows that in order for it to work, an electric vehicle needs to be charged. But what some people might not know is that the time of day electric vehicles are charged can be unnecessarily costly and have a negative impact on their electric grid. This is because most drivers of electric vehicles charge their vehicles around the same time every day, after work. Which makes sense, after driving for the day, you go home and plug in your car but these “after work” hours are often when electricity is at its most expensive because demand on the grid is at its highest. Honda SmartCharge changes this by alerting Fit EV drivers when the demand for electricity is low and when the availability of renewable energy is high. 

From an app on their smartphones, Honda Fit EV drivers using Honda SmartCharge will be told the best time to charge their vehicle from the electric grid. Once plugged in their vehicles will start charging when electricity prices are low and stop charging when prices rise. In addition to saving drivers money by charging during off-peak hours, the Honda SmartCharge system also helps reduce high carbon “peak” electricity demand.

To get started, Honda Fit EV drivers simply download an app to their smartphone and fill out their user profile. By creating a user profile, the SmartCharge app will be able to take into account the user’s daily driving schedule as well as their desired charging times, and also the amount of renewable energy being generated and the amount of CO2 emitted from power plants on their grid. 

Furthermore, HondaSmartCharge actually interfaces with the California Independent System Operator, which allows for cloud to cloud communication and that translates to real-time control, allowing EVs to take part in demand response events to help support the grid. As an added incentive to join the Honda SmartCharge Program, participants earn monthly rewards in the form of Amazon.com gift cards just for signing up and remaining active participants.

Currently, access to the Honda SmartCharge Program is a bit restricted. Honda SmartCharge is only available for Honda Fit EV drivers who use Apple devices and live in select California areas. It’s a program in its infancy, a beta program that after compiling and studying the results, Honda hopes to apply toward its other electrified vehicles, including the Clarity Electric and Clarity Plug-In Hybrid.

If you are a Honda Fit EV driver and would like to know more about the Honda SmartCharge Program, including learning your own eligibility, please feel free to call or visit our Tracy Honda dealership. Just ask to speak to a member of our Honda sales team.

Thanks for reading and happy driving!