Power up With kWh and Time of Use (TOU) Pricing
With kWh pricing, charging costs are based on the amount of energy your EV consumes, not the amount of time you spend at the charger.
In addition to charging by kWh, TOU pricing means that costs vary based on when you use energy. Electricity costs vary throughout the day, and so does the amount of congestion on the EVgo network. In select regions of the U.S., customers pay for their charging sessions by kWh, with costs that change based when you plug in your EV.
Time of Use (TOU) Rates
View how kWh rates vary by TOU and per plan. Unlock lower charging rates by signing up with an EVgo subscription plan.
How Time of Use Pricing Works
Electricity costs vary throughout the day based on demand and energy usage. EVgo’s charging network also experiences different levels of congestion throughout the day and week. To provide transparent and fair pricing, all customers in California pay for their charging per Time of Use, or TOU pricing instead of paying per minute. This means lower prices for charging during Early Bird Hours (12am-8am) and Off-Peak Hours (8am-4pm and 9pm-12am), and higher prices during On-Peak Hours (4pm-9pm).
Plans For All EV Drivers
Sally is on the EVgo Plus™ plan
Drives a Kia Niro
Charges 4x/week
Off-Peak Charging
Typical charge: 38 kWh, $14.40
Dominique is on the EVgo Basic plan
Drives a Nissan LEAF
Charges 1-2x/month
Early Bird Charging
Typical charge: 24 kWh, $10.30
Tim is on the EVgo PlusMAX plan
Drives a Tesla Model 3
Charges 6x/month
Early Bird Charging
Typical charge: 49 kWh, $11.51
Henry is on the Pay As You Go plan
Drives a Chevy Bolt
Charges infrequently
Off-peak charging
Typical charge: 39 kWh, $22.44
The EV controls the rate of charging based on the state of charge (SOC) and temperature of the battery when charging begins. This rate will vary over the charge session. The fastest charge rates are typically at lower states of charge (10%-50%) and when the EV battery is warm, and decrease as the state of charge increases. Once an EV’s battery reaches a certain level of capacity, usually 80%, charging slows significantly. We have more info on charging basics. Check out our EV 101.
Why Do Electricity Costs Vary Throughout the Day?
Electricity costs vary throughout the day because the availability of lower cost renewable energy sources (like solar and wind) also vary throughout the day. In the daytime, when solar energy is plentiful, electricity prices are lower (during Off-Peak Hours). In the evenings, when solar energy is no longer available, and electricity demand is higher, prices are higher (during On-Peak Hours). These On-Peak hours are when there is the most strain on the grid and when the California ISO is most likely to call a Flex Alert (or a voluntary call for energy conservation). While electricity rates are an important consideration in TOU pricing, EVgo also considers congestion on its network in assessing its pilot to improve customer experience.
What Will This Mean for Me?
With TOU pricing, EVgo joins California's statewide initiative to encourage energy conservation during On-Peak Hours (when electricity demand is higher, and the availability of renewable energy is lower). Because most EVgo customers already charge during the day, while shopping, going to the grocery store, or running errands, many EVgo customers will see EVgo’s lowest rates. With the transition to TOU pricing, we hope to encourage drivers who charge during On-Peak Hours to charge during daytime hours, when renewable energy generation is more plentiful.
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