Charging Your EV at Noon Costs 24¢ on SCE This Winter Overnight Costs 30¢ Here's How to Stop Paying the Difference

Charging Your EV at Noon Costs 24¢ on SCE This Winter Overnight Costs 30¢
Here's How to Stop Paying the Difference

Plugging in your EV when you get home used to be the cheap move. This winter, on SCE's TOU-D-PRIME plan, it is not.

The winter price list

According to Solar.com's breakdown of SCE's winter 2026 rates (October through May), these are the prices per kilowatt-hour:

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: 24¢

9 p.m. to 8 a.m.: 30¢

4 p.m. to 9 p.m.: 45¢

Winter overnight power now costs more than summer overnight power, which is 26¢. For an average driver using about 333 kWh a month, Solar.com estimates overnight charging could add roughly $20 a month compared with last winter.

Why your solar panels are not enough on their own

Midday is when rooftop solar is strongest, and it is also when SCE's rate is lowest. But most of us are at work or school then, and the car is not in the driveway. Under NEM 3.0, solar power you send to the grid earns a fairly low credit. That makes using your own solar yourself much more valuable than exporting it.

Where a battery changes the math

A home battery stores midday solar and releases it later. Your car can charge at night, and your home can ride through the 45¢ evening window, on power you already made.
It also gives you backup power if the grid goes down, which matters just as much for a house with an EV.

How third-party ownership (TPO) works

In a TPO program, a company installs, owns and maintains the solar and battery system on your roof. You pay for the power it produces without buying, leasing, or financing equipment. Many programs are designed to come in below utility rates, with savings of up to 40% depending on your home and program.

Here is what homeowners with EVs often ask us to check:

-Is the battery sized for overnight EV charging?

-Is maintenance covered for the term?

-Does the agreement transfer if you sell?

See how it could work for your driveway and your bill at myhomesolution.org/home-7068.
To find out if your home qualifies for a TPO solar and battery program, visit myhomesolution.org

Additional resources

Solar.com, SCE's 2026 Winter TOU-D-Prime Rates: https://www.solar.com/learn/sces-2026-winter-tou-d-prime-rates-what-ev-drivers-need-to-know/ Rates shown assume SCE provides both delivery and generation. Community choice customers pay different prices.