Should i use a time-of-use plan for my 60-mile ev commute?

[Larry.M]

I just got my first EV and I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle charging for a daily commute that's about 60 miles round-trip. My utility offers a time-of-use plan, but I'm not sure if the savings would be worth it compared to the standard rate, especially with how little I might actually be charging at home.

[Aria.A]

I switched to an off peak schedule after work and plug in a Level 2 charger at home. My 60 mile daily round trip uses roughly 18 to 20 kWh, depending on heater use and weather. I tell the charger to start around 9 pm so it finishes in the early morning, and on most days it only nudges the top up a little more if I’ve forgotten to plug in early. The bill moves by only a couple dollars, but it feels predictable.

[Sofia.S]

I checked the time-of-use option and ran a quick comparison, but the savings didn’t look worth it for my routine. The car ends up preconditioning during the peak window sometimes, so the off-peak charging isn’t always used. I ended up leaving charging as is and letting the car schedule what it can.

[Stephen77]

I’m not sure the problem is the price so much as the pattern. 60 miles a day isn’t nothing, but if the heater or AC runs a lot or you drive extra on weekends, you might not see a big savings anyway. Maybe the bigger hurdle is figuring out how often you actually top off versus leaving it at whatever the battery needed.

[Timothy.M]

Do you know if the window lines up with when you actually charge, or is your charger scheduling off by an hour? I’m asking because my own plan feels confusing and I’m trying to figure out where the real savings live.