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EV charging and your BC Hydro bill

A black Tesla EV charging inside a home garage.

Rates and rebates make EVs in B.C. even more affordable

If you're like most electric vehicle (EV) owners, you'll do the majority of your charging at home or at work.

The rest, you'll likely supplement with charging at public charging sites, where fast chargers are often available.

Rebates are available for the purchase and installation of Level 2 chargers. These rebates mean that the overall cost of charging can be an accessible option for many people.

Estimating charging costs

To get an idea of the total costs of EV ownership, consider the purchase price versus the rebates available. You should also consider the lower maintenance costs versus the prospect of battery replacement in the future.

You can estimate your BC Hydro electricity cost of charging different EVs with the CAA's Electric Vehicle Cost Calculator.

Optional time-of-day pricing

Want to manage home electricity consumption as an EV owner? Consider opting in to our tiered rate with time-of-day pricing.

If you opt in:

  • You'll get a discount of 5-cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for electricity use between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
  • You'll pay a 5-cent surcharge per kWh for usage from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

This is a good option for EV owners who can charge their EV at home overnight.

By adjusting when you charge your EV this plan can help you save money and reduce demand on our electrical grid during peak hours.

Learn more about the rate plan and estimate your costs.

Time-of-day pricing with separate EV meters

If you have a second electricity meter connected to your EV charger, you can choose to just have that meter billed on time-of-day pricing. This would allow you to continue to use electricity at home during the on-peak period without a surcharge.

Learn more about this rate for separate EV meters.

Earn rewards with Peak Saver

Your EV charger could help you earn financial rewards on your bill during peak events, which are brief periods of high demand on our system.

If you sign up for Peak Saver challenges, shifting your EV charging and other flexible electricity usage to before or after peak events can help you earn rewards.

And if you have an eligible smart charger, you can enroll it in Peak Saver to allow us to remotely control your charger during peak events, for which you’ll earn $50 per year.