Cost per PIP Charge

I fully agree... I place the value of the electric charge at slightly less than ~$0.92 and the fuel equivalency at ~$1.25.

I will be considering a second meter (to charge car at $0.08/kWh vs $0.24), but only if I can at least break even on the deal... (self install?)

The one personal satisfaction is that I can avoid a couple of tankfulls of that Middle East Crap and use some home grown natural gas as my energy source (via my utility company...)

Also, the sticker is an excellent benefit...

 

With the tiered rates and differing usage patterns during the day it is hard to generalize the cost of charging an EV in California.

My house in the SF Bay Area uses around 450 kWh plus 150-200 kWh for charging the Volt. We use around 300w at a constant rate for computers, TiVos, etc. plus some large screen TV and low-power lighting at night. The remaining use consists of the dishwasher (built-in start delay timer), car charging, and laundry with electric dryer (weekends) which can be easily run during off-peak rates.

The E9-A rate gives us TOU for the entire house so the off-peak household savings help subsidize the car. The electric bill has gone up around $10-20 a month versus the prior year without the car and on the regular E1 rate schedule. Effectively, we pay around $.10 per kWh for the extra power consumed when charging the car.

 

Yes, does depend on where you live and your overall needs (someone home during the day, kids, etc.) We live in the east bay tri-valley where you need air conditioning in the summer/early fall. No way to use TOU metering and not get royally screwed.

 

Sempra Energy or SDG&E by chance? I retired from Sempra in 2000 with 29 years. (Mostly at Pacific Enterprises and SoCal Gas prior to the merger.)

 

Small world, we probably have some acquaintances in common. I was at Sempra from 2002 to 2010.

 

3.117 kWh is how much ChargePoint stated it took for a full recharge of my PHV today.

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How much does the charger cord use just plugged into the wall but not connected to the PIP?

 

There's just a few miliwatts/hr burning the various LED's . . . nothing really worth considering

The REAL question hasn't been asked here ... it's not whether you're on TOU ... or 10 cents per kWh ... or 50 cents per kWh. The question is how many of you are going to go PV solar ! Don't just stick it to the oily industry by way of the PiP ... if you can, go PV too! Your grid tied system can not only stick it to your utility company (you keep your hard earned post taxed dollars for your self) , you'll also be helping to make the grid a teeny bit more stable during peak demand - as that's when PV is working its hardest ... on hot sunny afternoons.
Any hand raisers?
There's some great fed & state incentives going on. Get 'em while the gettin's good

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Yep, it is very hard to generalize. That's why it irks me when I hear statements (even straight from the mouths of the people running Volt test drives at auto shows) like "$1.50 (I don't recall if this is the exact amount they claimed) per charge to go up to 35 miles".

My electric usage (have natural gas too) in a large house that I live in alone in the SF Bay Area was 317 kWh last month which was below the baseline. I'm on the E-1 (non-TOU) schedule. Including taxes and fees, I'm paying ~13.6 cents/kWh.

Per PG&E's site about my usage for last month, I'm well below all similar homes (724 kWh) and efficient homes (496 kWh).

When I'm asleep, I seem to have a draw of 0.18 to 0.2 kWh each hour while I'm sleeping. I can't seem to find it all as I can't measure everything w/my Kill-A-Watt. I know my TiVo and external hard drive pull (IIRC) ~50 watts. Add another 10-20 watts for my router and cable modem. My computers are in sleep mode at that time. My fridge, IIRC pulls ~100 watts when the compressor's on but I'm not sure how frequently it turns on. I need to measure its use over a day or so...

I have a few clocks and wall warts but the stuff I can measure is pretty low wattage.

 

The question is how many of you are going to go PV solar ! Don't just stick it to the oily industry by way of the PiP ... if you can, go PV too!

When I went PV in June of 2011, I sized my electricity usage of my future PiP, based on ~3 kwh/6 days a week. The way my system's designed, it keeps me in the lowest price tier from PG&E and I only pay for what I use over what I generate (net usage plan). I think this averages out to about $.10 per kwh give or take a cent depending on the month. I expect to owe PG&E for about 2200 kwh this year at around $.10 a kwh.
Depending on what happens with electric prices and PV panel prices, I can easily expand the system. I have no idea how long it'll really take to get an ROI on the system but as you say there's other reasons to go PV other than cost.

 

Been there - Done that.... 50% of my power (car+house) is off of PV system...:rockon:

 

I put in PV last year, but I need to add a few panels. We use way too much electricity, and no matter how much I try to cut back, I can't seem to keep us in tier 1 - we always use some in tier 2. But a few more panels will likely do the trick. I reckon it's the pool, small hot tub, electric cooking appliances, etc.:noidea:

 

I charge once a day on a separate meter. First electricity bill: used 45 kWh and it cost me $3.58 for that. So, for the first 3 weeks of use - literally 21 charges, oh, forget it. You do the math! Not my forte! 21 charges used a total of 45 kWh that cost me 3.58 total.

 

Yeah, those could do it. P3 - Kill A Watt or one of their fancier models is helpful for finding energy hogs and "phantom" loads in the house.

Some of it can be fixed by better usage habits (e.g. not leaving lights on all over the place) and ditching incandescent for fluorescents, CFLs and LEDs.

If you have T12 (12 = 12/8ths of an inch in diamter or 1.5 inches) fluorescents and magentic ballasts, look to replacing them w/T8 (8/8" or 1 inch) and electronic ballasts. If you switch from T12 to T8, you will definitely need new ballasts.

 

Yeah - we did the CFLs, and we do turn lights out, but we do have a large LED TV. I will definitely have a look at the T12/T8 issue because we have fluorescents in our bathroom and closet. Thanks for that info.

 

It doesn't really pay me to plug in all, does it? Please check my math. Assuming 3.28 killowatts for a full charge (anyone verified that?) times the 28 cent tier I am in equals .92 (cents) for a charge. My meter claims 13 miles on a charge. I divided .92 into a gallon of gas at $4.25 giving me 4.61 charges (that would equal a gallon of gas) times the 13 miles equals 59 miles per gallon on electric. At .31 a tier (where I will soon be for summer) I get 54 mph. Hardly worth the aggravation to plug in. Is it?

 

In that case... you can put your new car for sale and make a small profit and buy a used Prius.

 

Alameda, California is the best! Less than eleven cents will fully charge a PiP.

My electric use always goes into Tier III, which is 19 cents. So a charge should cost me 57 cents, or $18.24/month for 30 charges. But it doesn't. My local power co doesn't have the ability to meter by time of day, so instead they give me a flat $15/month discount on my bill. So it costs me about $3.24/month. If I cut our electric use into Tier II, car charging will be a net deduction on my electric bill.