EV Charging

The Ins and Outs of Electric Vehicle Charging Pricing Plans

If you are going to the San Diego Auto Show this week to get a head start on getting new wheels in the New Year, one of the factors you are likely considering is probably fuel costs. The good news is that charging with electricity can save you money. We offer three pricing plans for electric vehicle (EV) drivers.

All of our EV Time-of-Use plans have rates that vary according to the time of day and include distinct pricing for on-peak, off-peak, and super off-peak hours. Charging during super off-peak hours offer the most savings. Typically, EV owners can program their vehicles to charge during super off-peak hours – overnight when they are asleep.

Under our newest pricing plan, called EV-TOU 5, you can charge your electric vehicle for 9 cents per kilowatt hour during super off-peak hours of midnight to 6 a.m. on weekdays and midnight to 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays. This plan, which comes with a monthly service fee of $16, does not require you to get a separate meter for your electric vehicle.

EV-TOU 2 is similar to EV TOU 5 but does not have a monthly service fee, however the per kilowatt hour costs are higher. With these two plans, your existing household meter tracks both your house and EV electricity usage.

EV-TOU, the third plan, requires customers to have a separate meter to track their EV’s electricity usage. To enroll in this plan, you need to hire an electrician at your own expense to install the second meter, which is why most customers prefer EV TOU 2 and EV TOU 5.

Levels of Charging
EVs typically come with a cord that you can use to plug into a standard 120-volt wall outlet. At this level of charging (Level 1), you can get up to five miles of range for each hour plugged in – sufficient to cover a typical San Diego commute of 25 miles.

At level 2 charging or 240 volt, you can get up to 10-20 miles of range per hour of charging. Level 2 chargers can be installed at your personal residence or found in public charging stations.

DC Fast Chargers (480 volt), which can only be found at public charging stations, can provide about 50 miles for every 15 minutes of charging.

Depending on the vehicle manufacturer, there are different nozzle faces for the higher levels of charging. Some examples include:

  • BMW, Chevy, and VW all have what are called CCS Combo DC Fast Charge nozzles
  • Most Asian manufactured brands have a CHAdeMO DC Fast Charge nozzle. Tesla owners can purchase an adapter that will allow them to use a CHAdeMO DC Fast charger as well
  • Most DC Fast Charging locations will have at least one nozzle of each type

More Information
Visit sdge.com/EV, a resource center to get answers to your EV questions. To find location and availability of chargers, visit PlugShare or download its app.