Updated August 2, 2026. This post originally covered the April 2026 rate change. SDG&E published a new EV-TOU-5 schedule effective August 1, 2026, so the figures below are the current ones, not the April ones.
The short answer. SDG&E EV-TOU-5 charges 13.1¢/kWh super off-peak, 49.6¢/kWh off-peak, and 80.2¢/kWh on-peak, effective August 1, 2026. On-peak runs 4pm-9pm every day. Charging in the super-off-peak window instead of on-peak costs about six times less for the same kilowatt-hour, which is why the charging schedule matters more than the charger.
The current EV-TOU-5 rates
These are SDG&E’s published rates for bundled (non-CCA) residential customers, effective August 1, 2026. SDG&E writes the plan name as EV-TOU-5, and you will also see it typed as EV TOU 5 or EVTOU5 on bills, in rate comparison tools, and in the enrollment flow. All three refer to the same residential EV rate plan, and these are the current SDG&E EV rates for it.
| Period | When | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Super off-peak | Weekdays 12am-6am and 10am-2pm; weekends 12am-2pm | 13.1¢/kWh |
| Off-peak | Weekdays 6am-10am, 2pm-4pm, 9pm-12am; weekends 2pm-4pm, 9pm-12am | 49.6¢/kWh |
| On-peak | Every day 4pm-9pm | 80.2¢/kWh |
Two things worth noticing. The overnight window runs about 6 times cheaper than the 4pm-9pm peak, so when you charge matters far more than it used to. And super off-peak isn’t only overnight: weekdays include 10am-2pm, and weekends run midnight straight through to 2pm. If you work from home or charge on a Saturday morning, that midday window is the same cheap rate.
These rates don’t include the monthly residential Base Services Charge that SDG&E introduced in October 2025. If you’re with a CCA, your delivery rates differ and your generation is priced by the CCA, so read your own bill rather than this table.
What the gap is worth
Rough arithmetic, using the rates above. A 40-amp Level 2 charger draws about 7.7 kW continuous. At 9 hours of charging a week, that’s roughly 3,600 kWh a year.
- All of it in the super-off-peak window: about $470 a year
- All of it during the 4pm-9pm peak: about $2,880 a year
So the scheduling decision is worth somewhere around $2,400 a year at that usage. Your own number depends on your mileage, your charger’s amperage, and how much of your charging you can actually shift overnight. The point isn’t the exact figure. It’s that the gap is now wide enough that a charger without a schedule is an expensive charger.
Why this matters for a San Diego panel decision
If you’re adding an EV charger, Path A versus Path B depends on a load calculation on the actual panel, not on the decade the house was built. A 100-amp panel that already carries heavy loads may need more than load management. A 200-amp panel can still be full. Housing vintage in Chula Vista, Spring Valley, or La Mesa is not a substitute for NEC 220.87 (or the method the electrician uses) on that service.
Path A: upgrade service when the calculation shows the charger will not fit. Costs more up front. See panel upgrade.
Path B: keep the existing service and add listed load management, then charge in the cheap window, only if the calculation supports it. EV panel upgrade bottleneck is the comparison page.
The illustrative kWh arithmetic above stays parked so you can check the rate math. It is not a bill guarantee. A matched independent licensed electrician quotes both paths when the site supports them. Bright Pro does not send crews or quote load calculations.
Enrolling
Existing SDG&E residential customers switch to EV-TOU-5 through their online account. Confirm the current terms, including how the Base Services Charge applies to your account, with SDG&E directly before you switch.
Next steps
Ask about Path A versus Path B on the quote. EV charger installation covers both. Rebates: EV charger rebates 2026. Call (858) 988-5580. Bright Pro Electric matches you with a licensed C-10 electrician who runs the load calculation. We are not the electrical company that installs the charger.
Source: SDG&E electric vehicle pricing plans, rates effective August 1, 2026, verified August 2, 2026. Utility pricing changes through CPUC rulings, sometimes mid-year. Check the source before making a decision based on these numbers.