Charging at night on a time-of-use rate

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An EV is the largest new electrical load most households ever add, and it is also the most flexible one. The dryer runs when you need clean clothes. The car charges any time between when you park and when you leave. That flexibility is worth money on the right rate plan.

What a time-of-use rate is

On a flat rate you pay the same amount per kilowatt-hour whatever the hour. On a time-of-use rate the day is split into periods -- typically off-peak overnight, peak in the late afternoon and evening, and sometimes a shoulder period between. Off-peak energy is cheaper and peak energy is more expensive than the flat rate it replaced.

That last half-sentence is the part people miss. A time-of-use rate is not a discount, it is a trade. It rewards a household that can move its heavy use into the cheap hours and penalizes one that cannot.

How to schedule the charge

In the car

Every EV we know of can schedule charging, and this is the route that works with any charger, including one with no app at all. Set the start time to the beginning of the off-peak window -- or set a departure time and let the car work backwards, which is the better option if the car preconditions the cabin.

In the charger

A connected charger can do the same job from its own app, which the Department of Energy lists among the features that separate smarter Level 2 units: charging timers, monitoring and displays. It is the better route when several drivers share a car, or when you want the charger's own energy data.

Is the rate switch worth it?

1. 1.Find how much you charge. A charger app or a whole-home monitor gives you real kilowatt-hours rather than a guess.
2. 2.Read your utility's EV or time-of-use plan, and note the off-peak window and both prices.
3. 3.Work out the charging saving with the arithmetic above and your own numbers.
4. 4.Subtract what the rest of the house costs you during peak hours: cooking, air conditioning, laundry.
5. 5.Check the switching rules. Some utilities limit how often you can change plans.

Households that cook at 6 pm in a hot climate with electric air conditioning are the ones that can end up worse off. Households that mostly run on cheap overnight energy usually come out ahead.

Practical habits that help

• Charge to a limit, not to full, so a longer window is not needed. Leaving it plugged in.
• Start at the off-peak boundary, not before it. A charge that begins 20 minutes early is priced at peak.
• Move the dryer and dishwasher into the same window while you are at it.
• Recheck once a year. Rate plans change, and so do driving patterns.

Does the charger matter?

Less than people expect. A cheap no-app charger on a car with a good scheduler achieves exactly the same bill as an expensive connected one. What a connected charger adds is its own timer, energy reporting and, on some units, utility program integration. The picks below all schedule from an app.

There is one small second-order effect: ENERGY STAR certified chargers use less energy when idle, which is most of the day for most units.

Chargers with their own schedules

All three schedule from an app. A car-side schedule works just as well with any charger.

1. A first charger, hardwired

Emporia Level 2 EV Charger (Classic)

Emporia · J1772 · 48 A / 11.5 kW · 24 ft cable

The safe default for a first home charger: 48 amps hardwired, a genuinely long cable, a NEMA 4 outdoor-rated case, and no subscription attached to the app.

What is good

• +48 A hardwired is the fastest tier most homes can realistically support
• +24 ft of cable reaches across a two-car garage without a fight
• +NEMA Type 4 enclosure is rated for outdoor mounting
• +Energy monitoring in the app with no subscription

What is not

• −Drops to 40 A if you use the NEMA 14-50 plug rather than hardwiring
• −The app is the only way to change the amperage setting

Published specifications for the Emporia Level 2 EV Charger (Classic)

Maximum output	48 A / 11.5 kW at 240 V (hardwired)
Plug-in output	40 A with the NEMA 14-50 plug
Connector	SAE J1772
Cable	24 ft
Enclosure	NEMA Type 4, indoor or outdoor
Certification	UL listed, Energy Star
Warranty	3 years

Skip this if: Skip it if you want a unit with no app or network connection at all. The Grizzl-E Classic is the simpler machine.

Specifications above are the manufacturer’s published figures. Source: Emporia Energy. We have not tested this unit — see how we pick.

$449.00 · View on Amazon#ad how we are funded · price as of September 24, 2026

2. A tight panel

Emporia Pro EV Charger

Emporia · J1772 · 48 A / 11.5 kW · 25 ft cable

Emporia's 48-amp charger with PowerSmart load management built in: the Vue 3 energy monitor comes in the box, and the charger backs off when the rest of the house is busy. The one to look at when your panel is the obstacle.

What is good

• +PowerSmart load management included, not an add-on
• +Vue 3 energy monitor in the box, for whole-home data
• +Emporia says it works even with older 60 or 100 amp services
• +J1772 or NACS connector options

What is not

• −PowerSmart needs the Vue installed in your panel -- electrician work
• −Costs more than the Emporia Classic, which charges at the same 48 A
• −Only worth it if your panel is the constraint

Published specifications for the Emporia Pro EV Charger

Maximum output	48 A hardwired; 40 A with a NEMA plug
Connector	J1772 or NACS, chosen at purchase
Cable	25 ft
Load management	PowerSmart, standard
In the box	Emporia Vue 3 energy monitor
Installation	NEMA 14-50 plug or hardwired; rear-entry option
Certification	UL certified, GFCI-protected
Warranty	3 years

Skip this if: Skip it if your panel has comfortable room for a full EV circuit. Without that problem you are paying for load management you will not use -- the Emporia Classic charges at the same 48 A.

Specifications above are the manufacturer’s published figures. Source: Emporia Energy, Emporia Energy, Classic vs Pro, Emporia Energy, store. We have not tested this unit — see how we pick.

$599.00 · View on Amazon#ad how we are funded · price as of September 24, 2026

3. Grizzl-E toughness, with an app

Grizzl-E Classic Connect

United Chargers · J1772 · 40 A / 9.6 kW · 25 ft cable

The next-generation Grizzl-E: 40 A on a NEMA 14-50, a 25 ft cable, a UL Type 4 indoor/outdoor rating -- and, unlike the Classic, Wi-Fi and the Grizzl-E Connect app. Sold with a J1772 or NACS cable.

What is good

• +25 ft cable, a foot longer than the Classic Extreme Edition's
• +Wi-Fi app with schedules and charging statistics, which the Classic deliberately lacks
• +UL/cUL listed, with a published file number
• +Rated to run from -22 F to 122 F

What is not

• −40 A ceiling, with no hardwired 48 A version
• −Sold with a NEMA 14-50 plug; the Classic's 6-50 option is not among the Connect listings we found
• −The app needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi where the charger is mounted

Published specifications for the Grizzl-E Classic Connect

Maximum output	40 A / 9.6 kW at 240 V (the maker lists 10 kW)
Adjustable	16 A to 40 A
Connector	SAE J1772 or NACS, chosen at purchase
Cable	25 ft (7.6 m)
Plug	NEMA 14-50
Enclosure rating	UL Type 4, indoor and outdoor
Operating temperature	-22 F to 122 F
Size	10.25 x 6.25 x 3.75 in
Connectivity	Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) and the Grizzl-E Connect app
Certification	UL/cUL, file E510712
Warranty	3 years; 5-year warranty sold separately

Skip this if: Skip it if you wanted a Grizzl-E precisely because it has no app -- the original Classic is still the no-software choice -- or if you want 48 A. The Classic Connect is a 40 A plug-in unit.

Specifications above are the manufacturer’s published figures. Source: United Chargers. We have not tested this unit — see how we pick.

$349.99 · View on Amazon#ad how we are funded · price as of September 24, 2026