So Cal Edison does indeed seem to be scamming Californians. My business electric bill has been about $380-$450 every month. But we do on occasion, a few hours a week, have to turn on a 480 Volt, 138 Amp generator. We do this during non-peak hours. Our average usage per month has not changed. But Edison decided to change our ‘bracket’ and charge us something like “surge pricing” because we occasionally have to run the generator and that takes from the grid.
What is even more insulting is that I have read articles that due to the number of solar installs across the state, the state actually generates more energy than it can sell during the day. Peak hours are from 4pm-9pm when people come home and turn on their appliances; and the sun is not producing free energy.
While I doubt it cost $277 to charge a Tesla - they may be charging this guy some kind of amortized cost for build out expenses at Hertz. But they should have made the costs clear upfront like they do with gasoline. They tell you return it full for get charged $7 a gallon etc. Hard to imagine it costs more to fill than a gas car. But, if Hertz is rarely charging cars and is getting reamed by Edison for “surge use” like I am, it is entirely possible.
I am really angry because I could have gone with gas generator. I went with electric because the upfront costs were lower and I didn’t need to vent the roof. But if they don’t change their charging, I may just go back to natural gas.
I rented a car recently and was told to refill it or be charged TEN dollars a gallon for just regular fuel. No doubt the EVs cost even more.
Or because they're trying to unload their EV fleet for pennies on the dollar.
-PJ
With a gas car, it takes 5 minutes to fill up but with an EV, it could take hours. Someone had posted an article here about charging a Tesla in the winter, took a couple hours and was only to get 1/2 full because half the energy was going to heating the car while he waited and I want to say it cost him around $100.