This GM EV Equipment Must Be Returned At Lease End

When you need to fuel up an ICE-powered vehicle, all of the required equipment is right there at the gas pump. Fueling an EV, however, is a little more complicated. GM offers several RPO and LPO options to make the charging process a little easier, but there are some that you need to give back to the dealer at the end of a lease.

Of course, if you buy a GM EV rather than lease, you get to keep all of the options that come with the car. However, for EV lessees, two available options need to be returned: the dual-level charge cord (RPO PSC) and the NACS DC Adapter (LPO, RYZ).

The dual-level charge cord is a $295 option available for all Chevy and GMC EVs and comes standard with Cadillac EVs. It’s a portable charge cord with 120-volt (1.4 kW) and 240-volt (7.7 kW) capability and swappable NEMA 5-15 and NEMA 14-50 plugs with SAE J1772 vehicle connection. What that means is that you can plug it into a regular, 3-prong household outlet or in a 4-prong “dryer” outlet for faster charging. The control box is mountable to a wall, which is something to keep in mind when you’re expected to return it at the end of a lease.

The NACS DC adapter is a $225 option for all GM EVs; it doesn’t come standard with any of them. As its name implies, it allows for GM EVs with a CCS charge port (which is all of them so far) to charge up at a charging station with NACS plugs, including the Tesla Supercharger, IONNA, and EVgo networks. There are many aftermarket options for CCS to NACS adapters that are worth considering if you don’t want to have to give back the official GM adapter.

There’s also some GM EV charging equipment that does not need to be returned at the end of a lease. For example, the GM PowerUp 2 charger (LPO 5CH) is a residential charger that requires a hardwired connection to your house. This $699 option is capable of a charging rate up to 11.5kW and has a 25-foot cord.

There’s also the GM Energy PowerShift Charger (LPO 5AV), a residential bidirectional EV charger capable of feeding energy from an EV’s battery into a house’s electrical system. It also works as a Level 2 charger capable of speeds up to 19.2kW. Since this $1,699 option also requires a hardwired connection, lessees aren’t expected to return it.

So, if you’re thinking about leasing a GM EV in the near future, it’s worth keeping in mind that a couple of charging options that you might consider crucial need to go back to the dealer. If you want to lease a GM EV, but might go with a different brand for your next EV, consider the aftermarket for essentials like a charging cable and NACS adapter.