Businesses, transit agencies and school districts in the region that are considering making a switch to commercial electric vehicles are now able to take advantage of an innovative pricing plan that makes it possible to reap both financial and environmental benefits by powering their fleet with electricity. The optional subscription pricing plan, called the Electric Vehicle-High Power (EV-HP) rate, was recently approved unanimously by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Those who sign up for the plan can choose the level of power to subscribe to for their charging needs and pay for it with a fixed monthly subscription fee.
The EV-HP pricing plan also enables customers to save by charging during times of the day when demand for electricity is low or renewable energy generation is high. Encouraging customers to charge during grid-friendly hours with the proper price signals ensures that the growing adoption of electricity-powered equipment doesn’t strain the grid during peak periods and require costly grid enhancements that must be borne by all customers.
The adoption of the EV-HP rate complements SDG&E’s Power Your Drive for Fleets Program, approved in 2019 by the CPUC to build charging infrastructure for a minimum of 3,000 plug-in medium-duty and heavy-duty electric vehicles and equipment, including transit buses, school buses, delivery trucks and forklifts. This initiative also supports the electrification of refrigerated semi-truck trailers, which are vital for transporting perishable goods. For more information, visit sdge.com/EVfleets.