---
title: "Time-of-Use Electricity Rates for EVs | DriveQuery"
description: "Check PG&E, SCE and SDG&E peak/off-peak schedules, then estimate the cheapest continuous EV charging window before your ready-by time."
canonical: "https://drivequery.com/us/time-of-use-electricity-rates/"
language: "en-US"
last_modified: "2026-08-30"
content_signal: "search=yes, ai-input=yes, ai-train=yes, use=full"
ai_priority: "tier-1"
primary_intent: "time-of-use-electricity-rates"
commercial_stage: "utility"
query_targets: "time of use electricity rates; ev time of use rates; cheapest time to charge ev; off peak ev charging"
---
# Find the cheapest time-of-use hours to charge your EV

Time-of-use rates are local. Choose your utility plan, tell us how much energy the EV needs and when it must be ready, and find the lowest-cost continuous charging window.

Rate plan + deadline**Find the lowest-cost continuous window**

Use the utility schedule plus the energy your EV needs. Rates are optional; enter current cents/kWh for a dollar estimate.


## Find the cheapest continuous charging window before you leave

Choose a supported utility plan or enter a custom time-of-use schedule. The plan hours are prefilled from utility sources; enter the current cents/kWh from your own rate plan if you also want a dollar estimate.

**24-hour rate-period view**
Blue outline = recommended charging window

Plan schedule only; exact billing may include fixed charges and other rules.

Super off-peakOff-peakPartial / midPeak


## Peak and off-peak periods differ by utility and plan

PG&E

### EV2-A

**12 a.m.–3 p.m.**Off-peak / lowest-price period

**4–9 p.m.**Peak

Partial-peak: 3–4 p.m. and 9 p.m.–midnight.

[PG&E peak-hours guide →](/us/pge-peak-hours/)


### TOU-D-PRIME

**Avoid 4–9 p.m.**SCE identifies this as the high-cost period for the EV-focused plan.

**Winter: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.**Super-off-peak period shown by SCE.

[SCE TOU guide →](/us/sce-time-of-use-rates/)

SDG&E

### EV-TOU-5

**Weekdays: 12–6 a.m. + 10 a.m.–2 p.m.**Super off-peak

**Weekends: 12 a.m.–2 p.m.**Super off-peak

**4–9 p.m.**On-peak

[SDG&E off-peak guide →](/us/sdge-off-peak-hours/)

Schedules checked against official utility pages on Aug 29, 2026. Always confirm your exact tariff, eligibility, season and current rates before making a billing decision.


## “Off-peak” is only useful if the car can finish before your deadline

A time-of-use schedule tells you when electricity is cheaper. An EV adds another constraint: you need enough continuous charging time before departure. DriveQuery combines the schedule with required kWh and charging power so the answer becomes a specific window instead of a generic “charge overnight.”

### Example

If your EV needs 32 kWh, charging losses are 10% and the car receives 7.7 kW, the wall must supply about 35.6 kWh and the session takes about 4.6 hours. On PG&E EV2-A, a car plugged in at 6 p.m. and needed by 7 a.m. can generally wait until after midnight rather than charging through the 4–9 p.m. peak period.

## TOU schedule vs. smart charging

A fixed TOU plan can often be handled with Tesla’s native Schedule controls. DriveQuery becomes more useful when the required kWh changes from day to day, the ready-by time changes, or you want the charging window recalculated automatically rather than maintaining a fixed start time.

[Tesla Scheduled Departure / End by →](/us/tesla-scheduled-departure/) · [DriveQuery smart charging →](/us/smart-charging/)


## Find the cheapest time-of-use hours to charge your EV FAQ

What are off-peak electricity hours?

Off-peak hours are the lower-priced periods defined by a time-of-use electricity plan. They are not the same nationwide: the hours depend on the utility, tariff, season and sometimes weekday versus weekend.

What are the best hours to charge an EV on a time-of-use plan?

Use the lowest-priced period that still gives the car enough charging time before it must be ready. If the cheapest window is too short, the charging session may need to extend into the next-lowest-cost period.

Are PG&E, SCE and SDG&E rates the same all year?

No. Time periods and prices can be seasonal, and utilities can update rate amounts. This checker presets current schedule periods but asks you to enter the current cents per kWh from your own plan for cost estimates.

Does a Tesla already support off-peak charging?

Yes. Tesla Schedule can set charging start/end behavior. A fixed recurring TOU window may be simple to handle natively. DriveQuery is aimed at recalculating the window from energy need, utility periods and a ready-by target.

Why does the calculator prefer a later equally cheap window?

When two windows have the same rate, finishing closer to departure can avoid leaving the battery at the target state of charge for longer than necessary and better matches ready-by charging behavior.

[Planning a Level 2 install? Check the charging power and property scope before requesting quotes →](/us/ev-charger-installation/)