The cheapest fuel in Ontario flows out of your own panel between 11 PM and 7 AM. Here's the real math on home charging — and what it means for the charger installation decision.
The per-charge math
EV efficiency averages around 18–20 kWh per 100 km. On Ontario's ultra-low overnight rate (~2.8¢/kWh), that's about 56¢ per 100 km. A 40 km daily commute costs roughly 25¢ in electricity. A full charge of a 75 kWh battery (think Model Y Long Range) runs about $2.10. Even on the standard off-peak rate (~7.6¢/kWh), the same full charge is about $5.70 — still a fraction of public charging, where DC fast chargers run 25–60¢/kWh and that same battery costs $20–$45 to fill.
Annualized: a driver covering 18,000 km/year pays roughly $450–$700 charging overnight at home. The same distance in a 9 L/100 km gas vehicle at $1.60/L costs about $2,600. That $1,900–$2,100 yearly gap is what pays for the charger installation in the first 12–18 months.
Getting on the right rate
The ultra-low overnight plan is opt-in through your utility (Toronto Hydro, Alectra, Hydro One). The trade-off is a steeper on-peak rate in the early evening, so it suits households that can shift their EV charging — and ideally laundry and dishwasher — into the overnight window. Scheduling is the whole game: every modern EV can delay charging from the car, and smart chargers automate it entirely. We set up charging schedules as part of every installation so the savings start on day one.
The installation side of the equation
A Level 2 charger (240V) is what makes overnight charging practical — it delivers a full charge in the 8-hour cheap window, where a regular 120V outlet can't even cover a long commute overnight. Typical GTA installation runs $1,500–$3,000 all-in depending on the distance from your panel (full cost breakdown here). If your panel is an older 100A service, we'll run a load calculation — load-management devices often avoid a panel upgrade entirely. And for homes already thinking bigger, a home battery charged at 2.8¢ overnight can run the whole house through the expensive evening peak — the same arbitrage, scaled up. Call 416-837-4038 for a free assessment of your panel and parking setup.