SDG&E EV-TOU-5 rate plan sees super-off-peak rate drop for 2026, now $0.18/kWh midnight to 6am
San Diego Gas & Electric's EV-TOU-5 rate plan has reset super-off-peak pricing to $0.18/kWh for the 12am-6am window starting April 2026. At 9 hours of charging per week on a 40A Level 2 charger, that's a $400-600 annual savings vs tiered residential rates for a typical EV household.
Fuente original: San Diego Gas & ElectricWhat changed
SDG&E has lowered the EV-TOU-5 super-off-peak rate from $0.22/kWh to $0.18/kWh for the 12am-6am window, effective April 2026. On-peak pricing (4pm-9pm) stays at ~$0.66/kWh. The rate differential between peak and super-off-peak is now 3.7×, making scheduled overnight charging more economically obvious than ever.
Why this matters for San Diego EV owners
The math on whole-home load management is now stronger. For a typical SD County home with an existing 100A panel, two paths to handle an EV charger:
- Path A: full 200A service upgrade. $2,500-4,500 installed, but you can charge any time. See what a panel upgrade in San Diego involves and what drives the cost.
- Path B: 100A panel + load management + EV-TOU-5. $600-1,200 for the load management device + scheduled charging only in the super-off-peak window. On an 11,000-mile-per-year EV, the rate savings alone pay back Path B in 12-18 months. We cover the full panel capacity decision in our EV panel upgrade bottleneck guide for San Diego.
For many 1970s-90s homes in Chula Vista, Spring Valley, La Mesa (where the existing 100A panel is otherwise fine), Path B is now the clear winner. We run the load calc per NEC 220.87 and quote both paths so the homeowner can pick.
Enrollment
Existing SDG&E residential customers enroll in EV-TOU-5 directly through their online account. No rate change fee. The plan is revenue-neutral for SDG&E (it just shifts when you’re charged what), so the savings are real, not a teaser.
Next steps
If you’re planning an EV charger install, ask us about Path A vs Path B during the quote. Our EV charger installation service page covers both options. If you haven’t claimed your SDG&E rebate or the federal 30C credit yet, see our breakdown of every EV charger rebate available in San Diego for 2026. Or call (858) 988-5580.
Source: SDG&E EV rate plans. Verify current rates directly with SDG&E. Utility pricing can adjust mid-year via CPUC rulings.