Incentives | Charging on the Road | Charging at Home 
Time-of-Use Electric Rates | EV Survey | Contacts & Resources

Getting amped about all the new electrical vehicles coming out?

If you are in the market for one, or just browsing, Pasadena Water & Power, along with other city departments and public agencies have assembled numerous attractive incentives to help drivers switch to cleaner electric vehicles. Also, the charging infrastructure is growing, thanks to cooperative efforts between public and private entities.   

PWP is especially interested keeping you informed about what you need to do to safely and efficiently charge your plug-in electric vehicle at home. Be sure to read our tips for safe EV charging, and let us know about your vehicle purchase plans so we can make plans for grid improvements in Pasadena.

NEW: Apply for Time of Use Rates for Plug-In EV's

>> Federal tax incentives of up to $7,500. See Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2009-26.

>> Rebates of up to $2,500 through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, funded by the California Air Resources Board and administered by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE). Apply through CCSE.

>> Off-peak electric rates and fee waiver for a time-of-use meter from Pasadena Water & Power. (PWP does not offer at this time incentives for installing residential or private charge stations.) See "Time-of -Use Rates" section below.

>> EV and Plug-In Hybrid EV owners are eligible to ride in the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane by obtaining a Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) sticker. A limited number of “Green Stickers” are available for plug in hybrids, and an unlimited number of “White Stickers” are available for electric-only vehicles. See a list of qualifying vehicles and apply through the California DMV.

>> The EV Project offers subsidies to commercial sites on a case-by-case basis for charge stations and their installation. Call the EV Project for details at 1-888-998-2546 or visit the EV Project online.

 

120v "LEVEL 1" Charge: A 120 volt “trickle charge cable” comes standard with most electric vehicles. It looks like a typical three-pronged electric cord and plugs directly into a regular household outlet. To avoid circuit overload from other electrical equipment, you should charge your vehicle at a dedicated outlet (more in next section).

As the name implies, the trickle charge cable charges slowly, taking 12-16 hours to fully charge a EV. For that reason, EV manufacturers usually recommend upgrading to a 240 volt “home charging station” and using the trickle charge cable only for emergency or “opportunity” charging.

240v "LEVEL 2" Charge: For faster charging (4-8 hrs for a full charge), you will need to install a “home charging station” that plugs into a 240v dedicated outlet. A 240v outlet is the kind you would use for larger appliances like a clothes dryer or refrigerator, for example. To avoid circuit overload from other electrical equipment, you should charge your vehicle in a dedicated outlet (more in next section).

Your EV vehicle manufacturer/dealer will usually offer the optional charging station and/or installation for an additional charge. Alternatively you can purchase a charging station from a third party and hire a licensed electrician to permanently install the charging equipment and a 240v dedicated circuit.

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>> Dedicated Circuit for EV Charging -- Whether you charge your EV in a 120v outlet or a 240v outlet, it’s important that the outlet is on a “dedicated circuit.”  An EV draws a lot of electricity from the circuit, so the circuit should not be shared with other electronics or appliances. Overloading a circuit with multiple electronic devices will cause the circuit breaker to trip or open.

You can use a multimeter to test if your outlet is on a dedicated circuit, but PWP recommends scheduling a full evaluation of your home’s electrical system by a licensed electrician before charging your EV. An electrician will be able to tell you if the outlet is on a dedicated circuit and, if it isn’t, what is required to install one.

He or she will also assess your whole house electric service capacity to determine if you need a service panel upgrade to charge your EV (more in next section).

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>> Service Panel Upgrade -- Every house is wired with a specific electric service capacity, or load capacity, which is the total amount of electricity (amps) a house can draw at one time from utility service overhead lines. Homes with fewer or more efficient appliances and homes that conserve can be wired for a smaller load capacity. Homes that use more electrical equipment (kitchen and laundry appliances, entertainment centers, air conditioning, computers, pool pumps, small electronics, etc.) need to be wired for a greater load capacity.  

Generally speaking, smaller or older houses may have a 100 amp capacity, renovated or new homes may have a 200 amp capacity; and large homes may have 400 amp capacity.

It is crucial to know the exact load capacity of your home. The additional load from EV charging may exceed your home’s load capacity. Overloading your whole house circuit will cause a power outage in your home.

A licensed electrician can assess your home’s load capacity and whether charging an EV will require a service panel upgrade to handle the additional load.  If your house does require more capacity, you or your electrician will need to contact PWP to request a service panel upgrade. Call the UTILITY SERVICE PLANNING UNIT at 744-4495.

NOTE: If you upgrade your service panel and live within a City Council-designated undergrounding district, you will be required to convert your existing overhead electric service to an underground service. PWP’s Utility Service Planning unit will advise you if this situation applies.
 

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>> Charge Right: At Night! -- Electricity use peaks in the late afternoon/early evening, putting stress on the local and statewide electricity grid. Since the rolling blackouts in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, people have fortunately become more conscientious about using energy-intensive appliances at off-peak hours (late evening, night and early morning), which helps prevent grid overload and power outages.

PWP encourages EV owners to charge their vehicles overnight, when there is less demand on the grid. Charging at night will help PWP to better manage power delivery and keep utility costs down. For a limited time, PEV owners in Pasadena have the option to switch to time-of-use electric rates, which offer lower rates during off peak hours. More info here...

As more people purchase EV’s and plug them in at home, PWP will need to keep up with the service demand by upgrading home service and replacing transformers in the street.

If you are thinking about buying an EV, keep PWP in the loop! Please let us know when you might purchase an EV so we can project improvements to the utility and better serve your needs. 

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