PG&E ev-pulse and Tesla login

[sfevcar]

I got an email from PG&E to join ev Pulse and get up to $150 in rewards and exclusive driver benefits. It wants my tesla login, which is a red flag. Anyone have information?

evPulse for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)

Tesla, Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, and Lexus EV drivers in California can unlock up to $150 in cash rebates and exclusive driver benefits by enrolling in evPulse for PG&E.

join.pge.ev-pulse.com

Register for evPulse & connect your vehicle.​

evPulse quickly and easily connects your EV to PG&E so you can enroll in EV programs and get program perks.
Check if my EV qualifies
Simply set up a free account and authorize evPulse to connect with your EV. The entire process takes less than a minute!
Enroll Now >>

Select your program option.​

During evPulse registration, select the program option you'd like to enroll in:‍
Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Alerts
($50 gift card + up to $50 in additional rewards)‍‍
PSPS Alerts + Automatic Smart Charging
‍($50 gift card + up to $100 in additional rewards)
Note: Automatic Smart Charging is only available for Teslas and not recommended for multi-unit dwellings with shared electric metering for charging.

Get rewards & driver benefits.​

Once PG&E confirms your enrollment, you'll get a $50 Amazon.com gift card with additional payments for ongoing participation. Your evPulse benefits include a personalized digital dashboard with insights about your home charging habits and tips for saving money.

 

[vincentkerazzi]

I wouldn't personally say it's a red flag, just perhaps not optimal. This is a real program that came from PG&E. Also, if you look a the page where you link your tesla, there's another way to connect your account that doesn't involve you giving them your password.

 

[burnssc]

Hi @sfevcar - thanks for exploring the evPulse for PG&E program! I lead the driver experience team for the company that runs evPulse (WeaveGrid) and am happy to answer any questions you have.

We ask to connect with your Tesla in order to provide you program benefits that include insights on your charge cost and optimal charging periods, as well as offer automated smart charging - to get your Tesla the energy it needs when electricity costs and stress on the grid are lowest.

Would love to discuss more if helpful to connect.

Also, as @vincentkerazzi mentioned you can choose to sign up without submitting your Tesla account credentials (See the 'Try another way to sign in' path in registration), but I'd like to stress that any credentials shared are not stored by us, but are simply used to establish the vehicle connection with a token that is encrypted and protected by extensive layers of control.

 

[jus10]

@burnssc I'm also concerned about passing you my Tesla credentials. Can't you set up an API or an OAuth connection (I think I have that right) so that only Tesla ever actually sees our credentials?

 

[jus10]

oh, now that I chose the "other way to sign in" link I see that you did do some kind of (hacky) way to pass along credentials. Maybe Tesla isn't cooperating with this initiative?

 

[jus10]

So if I sign up for Automatic Smart Charging, but I'm on PG&E's EV plan (which charges me more for electricity use during peak periods) could your system start charging my car at a more expensive time according to my rate plan?

 

[burnssc]

Hi @jus10 thanks for looking into the program. Love to have you on board. Our application will optimize first for getting you charged up at periods of lowest rates. The application will only charge you at more expensive times if absolutely required to meet your battery level targets and ready-by time. Typically drivers have plenty of time overnight to meet their needs so charging at on-peak periods likely shouldn't be an issue (unless you're using a level 1 charger, in which case you might need to be a bit more careful about topping up frequently)

So if I sign up for Automatic Smart Charging, but I'm on PG&E's EV plan (which charges me more for electricity use during peak periods) could your system start charging my car at a more expensive time according to my rate plan?

 

[GuyHall]

@burnsc correct me if i'm wrong, but the program they are rolling out now is quite interesting. Most PG&E customers are familiar with the PSPS program. Planned safety power shutoffs will shut off power to a region when weather forecast situations dictate (heat, high wind, etc). In advance of PSPS's, PG&E can send you an alert suggesting you charge your EV. For Teslas they can automatically start charging your car in advance (in case you miss the text message).

Oh, and pay you for the privilege...

So cool

 

[burnssc]

@burnsc correct me if i'm wrong, but the program they are rolling out now is quite interesting. Most PG&E customers are familiar with the PSPS program. Planned safety power shutoffs will shut off power to a region when weather forecast situations dictate (heat, high wind, etc). In advance of PSPS's, PG&E can send you an alert suggesting you charge your EV. For Teslas they can automatically start charging your car in advance (in case you miss the text message).

Oh, and pay you for the privilege...

So cool

Hi Guy - yeah that's basically right. Thanks for the overview! With Teslas, along with the notification, evPulse be maintaining automatic smart charging, which will still prioritize the lowest-cost times to get drivers charged to their target battery levels, but drivers following the notifications can override and accelerate charging during on-peak times if they choose.

 

[Redhill_qik]

Hi Guy - yeah that's basically right. Thanks for the overview! With Teslas, along with the notification, evPulse be maintaining automatic smart charging, which will still prioritize the lowest-cost times to get drivers charged to their target battery levels, but drivers following the notifications can override and accelerate charging during on-peak times if they choose.

@burnssc I signed up for the program last night, but then I saw this at the bottom of the page this morning.

Am I eligible to participate in evPulse for PG&E?​

To participate, you must either be in a Tier 2 or 3 High Fire-Threat District as defined by this California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Fire Map, or have been impacted by a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event in the last 5 years.

PG&E will confirm your eligibility as part of your enrollment process.

If this is a criteria that will disqualify you why isn't a main bullet point at the top or even a question during the sign up process. I checked and I am not in a Tier 2 or 3 area.

 

[RobbL]

@burnssc I signed up for the program last night, but then I saw this at the bottom of the page this morning.


If this is a criteria that will disqualify you why isn't a main bullet point at the top or even a question during the sign up process. I checked and I am not in a Tier 2 or 3 area.

But note the second clause, "or have been impacted by a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event in the last 5 years." That is pretty inclusive.

 

[BobbyRitz]

Why is all this data necessary to "connect with your Tesla in order to provide you program benefits that include insights on your charge cost and optimal charging periods, as well as offer automated smart charging - to get your Tesla the energy it needs when electricity costs and stress on the grid are lowest"?

 

[youtalking2me]

View attachment 990338

Why is all this data necessary to "connect with your Tesla in order to provide you program benefits that include insights on your charge cost and optimal charging periods, as well as offer automated smart charging - to get your Tesla the energy it needs when electricity costs and stress on the grid are lowest"?

Fellow MD'er here too.
Got the email a week ago saying to reauthorize because it switched to WeaveGrid or something.
I noticed that the "sign in other way" option is now gone and they want you to reauthorize by actually signing into your Tesla account.
I'm a bit weary of doing that.
What did you decide to do?

 

[BobbyRitz]

Fellow MD'er here too.
Got the email a week ago saying to reauthorize because it switched to WeaveGrid or something.
I noticed that the "sign in other way" option is now gone and they want you to reauthorize by actually signing into your Tesla account.
I'm a bit weary of doing that.
What did you decide to do?

Nothing at this point. I'm sure I'm not enjoying the TOU rate. I quickly tried to look it up last week so see if I'm paying a higher price. Do you know the currrnt TOU rate?

 

[BikerPeaBody]

I reauthorized for weavegrid about a week ago
Now they want some sort of Tesla virtual key to stay in the program? today the 1st was the deadline. I didn't do it. Guess I will get kicked out the program and lose my 10 bucks lol

anyone else get the virtual key email message?

 

[Redhill_qik]

I reauthorized for weavegrid about a week ago
Now they want some sort of Tesla virtual key to stay in the program? today the 1st was the deadline. I didn't do it. Guess I will get kicked out the program and lose my 10 bucks lol

anyone else get the virtual key email message?

I had a similar experience with the PG&E EV Pulse program which is run by WeaveGrid that needed a Tesla Virtual Key to participate. Made me feel queasy giving them this authorization, but I did it anyway. This is worth $150/year ($50 initial, $75 for the whole year and $25 for end of year survey).

I also received a snail mail from PG&E late last week informing me that they were required by state law to pull DMV records to see if I have any EVs. The explanation was that this was for grid upgrade analysis and also incentive program qualifications.

 

[BikerPeaBody]

I had a similar experience with the PG&E EV Pulse program which is run by WeaveGrid that needed a Tesla Virtual Key to participate. Made me feel queasy giving them this authorization, but I did it anyway. This is worth $150/year ($50 initial, $75 for the whole year and $25 for end of year survey).

I also received a snail mail from PG&E late last week informing me that they were required by state law to pull DMV records to see if I have any EVs. The explanation was that this was for grid upgrade analysis and also incentive program qualifications.

oh okay, I get a $10/month amazon gift card, so $120 a year
they keep asking for stuff and I'm kind of at my wits with this
still thinking about giving them the key
the problem is I can't find much information about what people can do with a virtual key to your car

 

[Redhill_qik]

oh okay, I get a $10/month amazon gift card, so $120 a year
they keep asking for stuff and I'm kind of at my wits with this
still thinking about giving them the key
the problem is I can't find much information about what people can do with a virtual key to your car

This is what was authorized. I think I tried to unselect some items, but it complained that it needed them. I don't know why it needs "Vehicle Commands" and I dislike giving them live location data, but this needed to know when the EV is at home.