Purdue study says CA makes EV charging too expensive

[walterbays]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-autos-electric-rates-20110114,0,5756943.story

This story has been getting a lot of press coverage lately.

Oil prices would have to rise from less than $100 a barrel now to between $171 and $254 to make the Volt as economical, even after factoring in thousands of dollars in government incentives.

I don't know how the study authors could have missed a major goal of the EV Project, to learn how to incent drivers to charge at night when power is cheap and infrastructure is idle. In SDG&E territory, both of the experimental EV rates under consideration are great. Results from these experiments will go into setting the new rate structure.

On the EPEV-H rate my electricity cost will be equivalent to putting $0.38 per gallon gasoline in my Prius, or putting $0.19 per gallon gasoline in an SUV.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2210&start=10
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=2017&start=20

 

[EVDRIVER]

For many PGE customers on E1 power in the eve can be very expensive, many that switch to E9 would be killed by their daytime consumption and pay even more. Some solar customers get burned by E9 because of times. They need a flat EV night rate with no modification to day rates.

 

[bodengroden]

I will have a separate meter installed (part of the ecotality/SDGE program) so for at least the forst 2 years I will be billed separately for the car. I wonder what percentage of Californians this applies to? Do we need a poll? In the end won't it encourage Solar in california?

I was getting read to install but at the ~$250 a year with my current set up to run the car I can't really justify it just on the car. If I get dumped into a higher rate plan because of the car I would go solar sooner....

 

[Spies]

For many PGE customers on E1 power in the eve can be very expensive, many that switch to E9 would be killed by their daytime consumption and pay even more. Some solar customers get burned by E9 because of times. They need a flat EV night rate with no modification to day rates.

Am I missing something here? PG&E does offer E9 rates for just charging the electric vehicle and one can have any other rate for the rest of the dwelling they qualify for. Of course to do this requires installing another meter and this expense can be very costly. Also there are some municipalities that have bizarro rules restricting second meters and of course restrictions placed by home owners associations and the like I admit but those issues have nothing to do with the rate offered.

For me at least, and perhaps this is not typical, I have benefitted by having my whole house on the E9 rate.

 

[TomT]

I considered a separate meter for the EV but the cost of the installation would wipe out pretty much any cost savings for me over the projected life of the vehicle, at least here in LADWP land.

I will have a separate meter installed (part of the ecotality/SDGE program) so for at least the forst 2 years I will be billed separately for the car. I wonder what percentage of Californians this applies to? Do we need a poll? In the end won't it encourage Solar in california?

 

[evnow]

I considered a separate meter for the EV but the cost of the installation would wipe out pretty much any cost savings for me over the projected life of the vehicle, at least here in LADWP land.

Wow. How much was the installation ?

 

[DeaneG]

I considered a separate meter for the EV but the cost of the installation would wipe out pretty much any cost savings for me over the projected life of the vehicle, at least here in LADWP land.

Same here. I invested on a PV solar array instead. It felt better than spending $xxxx.xx to have a second meter hacked into my house.

Three months later, I am still trying to get PG&E to switch me to a TOU rate. Unbelievable process so far - is it this bad on purpose?

 

[TomT]

A thousand dollars is typical since it would require a new, separate, outside meter box, conduit, wiring, and stucco repair. I did the math and the payback based on current DWP rates is about 6 years. I will have moved before then...

I considered a separate meter for the EV but the cost of the installation would wipe out pretty much any cost savings for me over the projected life of the vehicle, at least here in LADWP land.

Wow. How much was the installation ?

 

[DeaneG]

A thousand dollars is typical since it would require a new, separate, outside meter box, conduit, wiring, and stucco repair. I did the math and the payback based on current DWP rates is about 6 years. I will have moved before then..

It could be much more if you have service rated at less than 200 amps, and it's underground.

 

[Long4Leaf]

For my situation, I chose to install a second meter for EV and stay on E1 for my house. I have no solar and in the top usage tier. With 50% tax rebate on the installation and ~40miles/day on the LEAF, I calculated a payback in ~1.5 years.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I considered a separate meter for the EV but the cost of the installation would wipe out pretty much any cost savings for me over the projected life of the vehicle, at least here in LADWP land.

Same here. I invested on a PV solar array instead. It felt better than spending $xxxx.xx to have a second meter hacked into my house.

Three months later, I am still trying to get PG&E to switch me to a TOU rate. Unbelievable process so far - is it this bad on purpose?

yes. many have documented the "catch 22" process from PG&E on green power. its much better now mostly as a result of lawsuit filed by early adopters from the 90's who faced nearly insurmountable odds just to get the option to sell back excess PV generated power.

 

[tps]

Likely few of us are buying EVs right now because of how much money we'll save...

On a side note, I wonder who is using the EVSE at the Edward C. Elliot Hall of Music there at the university? I worked for many years at the university's NPR station, which is located in the Hall of Music. I've kinda lost contact with those people.