Media Contact: Paul Klein, (626) 302-2255
ROSEMEAD, Calif., March 1, 2011 — Southern California is a potential mecca for plug-in electric vehicles, but would-be owners of the cars will have some key choices to make before that first in-home charge.
“If you are thinking about buying a plug-in electric vehicle, it is important to know there are a number of decisions to make, and in some cases electrical work to have completed before you drive your electric vehicle home and start charging the battery,” said Ed Kjaer, Southern California Edison (SCE) director of Plug-In Vehicle Readiness.
Customers will want to figure out how quickly and how often they need to charge their vehicles, select the type of electricity rate plan that will be most beneficial to them and then complete whatever electrical work will enable the type of charging they want. These decisions can vary greatly, depending on which vehicle they buy and how they intend to drive and charge it.
A good first step is opening your browser to www.sce.com/pev and navigating to SCE’s “Plug-In Car Rate Assistant.” It helps estimate the cost of fueling a plug-in electric vehicle, or PEV, and the impact charging is likely to have on a customer’s electricity bill.
The rate assistant helps customers make informed decisions about PEV rate plan enrollment. It provides estimated cost comparisons based on ZIP code, daily power usage, vehicle type, miles driven per year, gasoline price and recharging preferences (on- or off-peak).
The website also offers a section called “Before Bringing Home a PEV” and these suggestions:
Step 1: Complete SCE’s “Getting Plug-In Ready” Checklist
- Review vehicle charging options and recommendations.
- Become familiar with SCE’s three main electric vehicle rate options: keeping the standard residential rate; switching to a time-of-use rate for the entire house; or adding a meter to bill electric vehicle charging separately – and the charging equipment implications of each.
- Hire an electrical contractor to evaluate current residential charging capabilities and to provide an estimate for any electrical work needed to make the home plug-in ready.
Step 2: Contact SCE to Select an Electric Vehicle Rate
- Call an SCE representative at 1 (800) 4EV-INFO, or 1 (800) 438-4636, to discuss vehicle and charging preferences, explore electric vehicle rate options and have a customized rate analysis completed using your actual history of electricity usage.
- Pick the electrical rate and charging approach, and inform SCE and the electrical contractor.
Step 3: Perform Necessary Home Equipment Upgrades
- Authorize a contractor to obtain required permits and complete desired electric work.
- Obtain any required city electrical inspections.
Also featured on SCE’s website are three educational videos presenting the steps necessary to become plug-in ready, questions customers should ask when thinking about buying an electric vehicle, and a description of SCE efforts under way to meet the anticipated surge in plug-in electric vehicles.
About Southern California Edison
An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
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Southern California Edison Is Priming Customers for Plug-In Electric Vehicles
