Should You Choose the Off-Peak Hours Plan to Recharge Your Car?
This page is translated from the original post "Faut-il choisir le forfait Heures Creuses pour recharger sa voiture ?" in French.
- 22/08/2023 12:26
The increase in regulated electricity rates as of August 1, 2023, impacts the cost of recharging an electric car.
We already discussed the impact of the energy price hike on August 1, 2023. +15% in February 2023, +10% in August, resulting in a total increase not of 25% since January 1, but of 30.8%! The trick with diffuse increases is that they seem less painless if you don’t think about them…
Now, the kWh is sold at an additional 0.2276 euro plus a mandatory monthly subscription based on your desired amperage to meet your needs. For a standard gas-heated apartment (water + radiators), 3 kW are sufficient. If everything is electric, you will need to move up to 6, 9, or 12 kW plans if you don’t want everything to trip in winter…
The question becomes even more relevant with the transition to electric vehicles. Plugging in at a wall socket is akin to filling a bathtub with a glass of water. It’s possible, but the bath will be tomorrow and the water rather cold. It’s therefore better to invest in a 6 or 7 kWh charging station to reduce charging times, as we’re talking about pushing several dozen kW into the battery.
Hence, the electricity bill will naturally rise when the costs associated with your previous fuel purchases disappear. QED. Nevertheless, the question of energy prices will always remain.
Let’s take the example of a Tesla Model Y with a claimed 60 kWh battery. Its recharge will never require going from 0 to 100%, let’s say from 20 to 100%. That’s 48 kWh. At a rate of 7 kWh, it will take about 7 hours to fully charge. What about doing this overnight from there?
WARNING: THE OFF-PEAK HOURS VARY BETWEEN 8 PM AND 8 AM DEPENDING ON YOUR GEOLOCATION. TO KNOW THEM PRECISELY, YOU MUST CHECK YOUR BILL!
EDF “Basic Option” Simulation: 1 kW = 0.2276 €
48 x 0.2276 = €10.92
EDF “Off-Peak Hours” Option Simulation: 1 kW = 0.1828 €
Note: The Off-Peak Hours system assumes that Peak Hours are more expensive: 1 kW = 0.2460 €. So, avoid recharging your car too often during the day, or you’ll face immediate penalties!
48 x 0.1828 = €8.77
Charging during Off-Peak Hours thus costs €2.15 or 20% less! In other words, charging during Peak Hours will be +40% more expensive. Not neutral!
With an average recharge every three days, the savings over a year will be about €260… or 30 recharges. The choice is quick to make.
READ ALSO: Ionity lowers its charging rate for electric vehicles
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