At the same time, gasoline prices in the Greater Toronto Area hit record highs — and experts predicted the cost could hit $1.65 a liter — the province extended its rate relief program of electricity related to COVID-19. This meant that anyone charging their electric vehicle took advantage of the off-peak rate of 8.2 cents per kilowatt hour.
This was a temporary measure that expired on February 7, but most EV owners charge their vehicles at night and are unlikely to see an increase in their electricity bills if they continue charging between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., when these are lower. Toronto Hydro rates apply. Even with more expensive electricity than in other provinces, charging an EV at home is much cheaper than fueling the most efficient hybrid with gasoline.
When we bought our Nissan Leaf ten years ago, we had also installed a separate meter with our charging station in our garage so that we received a bill showing only the cost of charging our electric vehicle. We drive about 1,000 miles per month for our shuttle, and in our first month of owning the vehicle, it cost us $22.62. Our monthly fuel bill has gone down about 87%, from about $180 to less than $30, after taxes. During the first six months, we calculated that our average EV fueling cost was $2.62 per 100 kilometers. The off-peak rate was lower at the time, at 6.7 cents per kilowatt hour, but so was regular fuel, which in Toronto that year averaged $1.28 per liter. .
So exactly how much will your electric bill go up if you buy an EV? It depends on how much you drive, the weather and how efficient your electric vehicle is, but your pattern will be like ours. You will consume more electricity in winter (30 to 40% more for us), and less in summer. An unscientific survey of the Canadian Electric Vehicle Owners Group on Facebook a few years ago suggested that the most common monthly fuel cost for electric vehicles was between $20 and $30, but this reflected different trip lengths Across the country.
Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has been closely following the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court
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