Monday, February 11, 2013

Your Electric Vehicle's Cost To Charge

     It's often touted that you'll drive an electric vehicle for pennies per mile and though for some this is true, your bill may be different. Electric companies often charge for services according to usage (total use and/or use during peak times), which is a tiered structure. Under tier 1, for example, I pay .1035 cents per  kWh ($.10 to round it off), but if I use enough electricity, some of the electricity I buy will be billed under the Tier 2  schedule, which is billed at ~$0.16 per kWh. That's about 60% more than tier 1.

     Sometimes it's your air conditioner that causes your usage to increase, but for EV drivers, it's that 2-12 hours of recharging that tips us over. My EV has a tiny battery pack that charges in only an hour after short trips, so it doesn't really contribute much to my overall bill. If I a using much electricity, my EV will use about $7 of electricity over 30 days, but if I can keep my usage low, I'll only pay $4.8 per month. For me, it's barely noticeable, but for those with larger packs and hungrier chargers the difference could be much, much greater.

     Plugging in your vehicle and charging during the night could help you save. You can find out your rates and peak times by visiting your local utility company's website.

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