Rate Design for Electric Vehicles in California

Natural Resources Defense Council
Project completed December 2018.

California’s ambitious state law SB 350 aims to increase renewable energy generation and achieve “widespread transportation electrification” across the state. Pursuant to this law, California’s largest investor-owned utilities are proposing to make over $1 billion in transportation electrification investments. These investments are accompanied by new rate designs to support adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and encourage charging in a manner that is consistent with electrical grid conditions. Synapse was retained by NRDC to evaluate the utilities’ rate design proposals for public fast-charging facilities, commercial fleets, and residential customers. 

You can find more recent Synapse work focusing on EV rates, completed on behalf of NRDC, here.

Related Publication(s):

Electric Vehicles Still Not Crashing the Grid Testimony of Melissa Whited on Commercial EV Rates Testimony of Melissa Whited on Fast Charging Infrastructure and Rates Testimony of Melissa Whited on Residential Rates Rebuttal Testimony of Melissa Whited on EV Rate Design Electric Vehicles are Not Crashing the Grid Direct Testimony of Melissa Whited on behalf of Natural Resources Defense Counsel, Sierra Club and Union of Concerned Scientist (Clean Energy Parties) Regarding Demand Charge Alternative Proposal EVs Are Driving Rates Down - December 2022 California Update Electric Vehicles are Driving Electric Rates Down - June 2020 California Update Electric Vehicles are Driving Electric Rates Down - June 2019 California Update