Utilities throughout the country are at various stages of investigating or implementing different rate structures for electric vehicles (EV). The emerging need for a new type of tariff that simultaneously increases EV penetration and protects ratepayers comes with challenges and opportunities as EV rates can be designed with diverse goals in mind. Currently, rate structures range in complexity, benefits to the grid, and customer bill savings. This presentation will cover the current landscape of EV rate options, from those implemented to those in development. It will highlight best practices for California and cover the challenges of developing effective EV-specific rate designs. Also, it will cover the opportunities associated with various EV rate structures, including customer load-shifting that decreases costs to ratepayers and defers or negates grid investment, leveraging smart EV chargers to avoid added metering infrastructure and the potential for vehicle to grid (V2G) systems.
