Fri Sep 09, 2011 6:55 pm
I got the 2 electric meter option. I went with Aerovironment because it was simpler for me. They handled everything, permits, coordinating with HECO. One complication was that it was a little longer and harder to wire my garage from where the electric meters are than an alternative path, but I thought the lower rates would be helpful. It came out to be about $4000 (before state rebate and federal tax credit). You might be able to get a better deal from someone else than Aerovironment.
However, even though they advertise a great rate, there are other items in the bill. This is from my most recent bill:
Kilowatt hours: 88
TOU Meter charge: 1.50 (the time of use meter monthly charge is specified in the EV-R schedule)
Non-fuel energy: 9.83 (this is roughly the 11+ cents per kwh at off peak)
Interim increase: 0.38
Purchased power adjustment: 2.34
RBA rate adjustment: 0.04
PBF surcharge: 0.52
Energy cost adjustment: 10.21
IRP Cost recovery: 0.03
Total: 24.85
So the big item is the energy cost adjustment. I think this is a factor based somehow upon the price of oil. This goes up and down as the price of oil goes up and down (please correct me if this is wrong).
The effective rate per kilowatt hour comes out to 28.24 cents per kilowatt-hour. I get an average of 4.7 miles per kilowatt-hour (your mileage may vary). To drive 10 miles, it would take 2.13 kilowatt-hours (10 miles divided by 4.7 miles per kilowatt-hour). 2.13 times 28.24 = 60.2 cents to drive 10 miles using my Leaf. If gasoline were $4.00 per gallon and I got 50 miles per gallon, the equivalent cost to drive 10 miles would be 80 cents, so I'm saving about 20 cents per 10 miles. If my car got 40 miles per gallon, the cost to drive 10 miles would be $1, so I would be saving about 40 cents per 10 miles.
There is a cost advantage for getting 2 meters for me, but it is nowhere near as much as I thought it was going to be, before I got the bills which shows all the extra charge items. Keep in mind that all of these extra charge items (except the monthly TOU meter charge) would also be in your electric bill if you didn't get 2 meters.