Electric Vehicles
Residential Rate Program
Drive an EV? Take advantage of the Ameren Illinois EV Rate Program to shift when you charge and save. This optional rate program is for Ameren Illinois residential customers who drive an EV and charge their vehicle at home. Plug in during the preferred time and save on electric delivery fees while you charge.Take Charge of your EV Lifestyle
Your energy usage ebbs and flows with your driving habits, vehicle mileage range and many other lifestyle factors. It is important to know where to charge and when to charge. This program encourages you to charge at home during the preferred charging times from 11 p.m. – 7 a.m.
Overnight is the best time to charge. Ameren Illinois offers a better rate to fuel your EV when demand for electricity is lowest. Charge overnight from 11 p.m. - 7 a.m. during the preferred charging period (PCP). When you plug in during the PCP, you will receive a credit on your electric delivery service for every kWh used.
To assist as you make the shift to charging overnight, Ameren Illinois provides a monthly bill credit to you as an electric delivery service customer enrolled in the EV Rate Program. This credit will be automatically added to your bill for the first 12 consecutive months to help you adjust to charging during the preferred charging period.
There are ways to manage your usage when you need to charge outside of the Preferred Charging Period. Here are a couple suggestions:
- Avoid charging during the non-preferred charging period. If you need to charge outside of the preferred charging period, plug in during the morning or evening hours to prevent a higher peak usage charge.
- Shift how you use electricity during the mid-day hours. If you must charge during the non-preferred charging period, you can avoid a higher peak hourly delivery charge by adjusting your energy usage over time. For example, if you need to charge your EV and do the laundry, then set your EV charger to start when the laundry is done.
The facts about our EV Rate Program
While standard delivery service rates always apply, there are different price periods or times of the day that influence your monthly bill while on this rate program:
- Preferred Charging Period (PCP): 11:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. A credit for your electric delivery service is given for every kWh of usage during this period.
- Non Preferred Charging Period (NPCP): 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. During the highest one hour of household usage from the billing period that occurs within this timeframe, there will be an additional charge for each kWh used.
- Morning and Evening: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. There are no additional credits or charges for electric usage during this time period.
- First-year Bill Credit: We understand that it takes time to adjust. To offset potentially higher charges for usage during the NPCP, we offer a monthly bill credit for your first 12 consecutive months enrolled on the EV Rate Program. This will give you time to see how household usage impacts your bill and to make adjustments for maximum savings
- Year, make, model, and VIN of EV
- Information on charging equipment (Charger manufacturer, model, voltage, and amp rating)
- Certified installer information if applicable, including company information and ICC Docket number
Preferred Charging Period (PCP): A credit for your electric delivery service is given for every kWh of usage during this period.
Non Preferred Charging Period (NPCP): During the highest one hour of household usage from the billing period that occurs within this timeframe, there will be an additional charge for each kWh used.
EXAMPLE: EV Peak NPCP Usage Calculation
Assuming Peak hourly usage: 6 kWh
Assuming NPCP charge/kWh = $.65
$.65/kwh x 6 kWh = $3.90 Total Peak Hourly Delivery charge on bill
EXAMPLE: EV PCP Credit Calculation (summer)
Assuming total PCP usage for the billing period: 230kWh
230 kWh x $.02 summer EV credit = $4.60 total Credit on bill
EV peak NPCP usage charge and PCP credit comparison:
-$ 3.90 Peak Delivery Charge
+$ 4.60 PCP Credit
+$ .70 credit
As you can see the difference between the charge and the credit for this customer would be $.70, meaning they will not see much of a difference in their billing before they add in the extra usage for EV charging. The important piece to remember is that charging overnight helps keep your added EV electric usage costs low.
You can learn more about your energy usage by logging in to your Ameren Illinois online account.
