Kia EV drivers get paid to charge at home with new Variablegrid Plus program

Kia EV owners earn $0.10 per kilowatt-hour of home charging, with free enrollment and no ongoing fees. Pairing the program with Variablegrid charging hardware adds up to $350 in upfront savings. 

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2026 /CNW/ -- Variablegrid Adaptive Power Inc., the Canadian energy technology company whose patented adaptive load management platform enables EV charging in homes that otherwise could not support it, announced the launch of Variablegrid Plus, a program that turns everyday home charging into an ongoing financial return for drivers. Kia Canada, a Variablegrid partner since 2025, is the first automaker to offer the program through its dealer network.

Variablegrid Plus is a free EV-charging cashback program for Canadian EV drivers in both stand-alone homes and multi-unit buildings. Variablegrid measures eligible home charging, converts that energy into CFR compliance credits, and pays the driver $0.10 per kilowatt-hour. Enrollment takes minutes, and nothing changes about how or when customers charge. A customer driving 20,000 kilometres a year in a Kia EV5 could be paid $392 annually. The Variablegrid app shows live charging sessions and the running credit balance. Customers who combine the Variablegrid home charger with an Energy Management controller can receive up to $350 in additional upfront savings. Beyond the cashback, Variablegrid Plus lowers the household's electricity costs. Adaptive Power Management coordinates charging with the home's available electrical capacity, optimizes for time-of-use rates, and lets enrollees participate in demand response events.

"Variablegrid Plus brings the benefits of multiple energy programs together in one simple experience for EV drivers. Sign up, and the charger does the work for you. The more you drive, the more you earn. It's like being paid to fill up," said Dee Murphy, Chief Operating Officer of Variablegrid Adaptive Power Inc. "We built the metering, the credit accounting and the payout mechanics so that the customer does nothing differently."

Since 2025, Kia Canada has offered Variablegrid's patented adaptive load management technology to customers whose homes lack the spare electrical capacity for Level 2 charging, removing the need for a costly electrical service upgrade. Variablegrid Plus adds a recurring financial return on top of that installed hardware.

"Kia Canada is the first manufacturer partnered with Variablegrid to extend a direct financial incentive to electric vehicle owners that puts money right back into customers' pockets," said Elias El-Achhab, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Kia Canada. "Having introduced three affordable models with the EV3, EV4 and EV5, plus this evolving partnership with Variablegrid, it is a testament to our continuous development of solutions to make Kia EVs more attainable for Canadians than before."

Variablegrid intends to extend Variablegrid Plus to additional automaker and dealer partners across Canada. Drivers can learn more at www.variablegrid.com or by visiting an EV-certified Kia dealership.

About Variablegrid Adaptive Power Inc.

Variablegrid Adaptive Power Inc. is a Canadian energy technology company whose patented adaptive power platform measures a home's available electrical capacity and allocates it dynamically across EVs and every other load on the panel. The platform keeps charging fast and uninterrupted while helping customers avoid electrical service upgrades that can cost $5,000 to $30,000. By removing one of the biggest infrastructure barriers to EV adoption, Variablegrid helps automakers and their dealer networks deliver a seamless home charging experience. Variablegrid was named one of Canada's Top Moonshot Ventures™ by NACO in 2026, selected to the 2025 Foresight 50 as one of Canada's most investible cleantech ventures, and awarded the 2024 Best Electrical Solution by Energy Manager Canada. Learn more at variablegrid.com.

About Kia Canada

Kia Canada Inc., founded in 1999, is a subsidiary of Kia Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. The company employs over 200 people at its headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, as well as in locations across Canada and at its regional office in Montréal, Québec. Kia offers award winning products that are dynamic, stylish and innovative and services that are meaningful and convenient through a network of nearly 200 dealers across the country. The company's brand slogan, 'Movement that inspires', reflects Kia's desire to create the space for you to get inspired and more time to bring your ideas to life. To learn more, visit kia.ca or Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

SOURCE Variablegrid

Media contact: Dee Murphy, Chief Operating Officer, [email protected]