Free guide · SDG&E prices effective Aug. 1, 2026
EV-TOU-5 vs TOU-DR2: which SDG&E plan is cheaper for you?
Both plans charge the most from 4 to 9 p.m. The difference is what you pay the rest of the day, and whether you charge an electric car at home.
Updated Oct. 18, 2026 · 4-minute read
The short answer
- 1You charge an EV at home overnight or on weekend mornings? EV-TOU-5 is usually the cheaper plan. Its super off-peak price is about 13¢ per kWh. On TOU-DR2, the same hours cost about 42–47¢.
- 2You rarely charge at home? TOU-DR2 can come out cheaper, mostly in summer, when its regular prices are lower than EV-TOU-5's. It also gives a baseline credit that EV-TOU-5 doesn't have.
- 3On either plan, avoid 4–9 p.m. On EV-TOU-5 in summer, those hours cost about 80¢ per kWh.
EV-TOU-5 is only for homes with an electric vehicle (owned or leased, and registered with the California DMV) and a Level 1 or Level 2 charger at home.
When each price applies
Both plans use the same on-peak window: 4 to 9 p.m., every day. EV-TOU-5 adds a cheap "super off-peak" period. TOU-DR2 has only two periods.
EV-TOU-5 · weekdays
Super off-peak: 12–6 a.m. and 10 a.m.–2 p.m. · Off-peak: 6–10 a.m., 2–4 p.m. and 9 p.m.–12 a.m. · On-peak: 4–9 p.m.
EV-TOU-5 · weekends and holidays
Super off-peak: 12 a.m.–2 p.m. · Off-peak: 2–4 p.m. and 9 p.m.–12 a.m. · On-peak: 4–9 p.m.
TOU-DR2 · every day
Off-peak: 12 a.m.–4 p.m. and 9 p.m.–12 a.m. · On-peak: 4–9 p.m.
Summer runs June 1 to October 31, and winter November 1 to May 31. Since May 1, 2026, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on weekdays is super off-peak all year. It used to be only in March and April.
The prices
These are SDG&E's total prices in cents per kWh, effective August 1, 2026, for customers who buy their electricity from SDG&E. The cheaper plan in each row is highlighted.
Summer (June 1 – October 31)
| When you use it | EV-TOU-5 | TOU-DR2 |
|---|---|---|
| 4–9 p.m., every day | 80.2¢ | 69.6¢ |
| Super off-peak hours* | 13.1¢ | 41.7¢ |
| All other hours | 49.6¢ | 41.7¢ |
| Baseline credit | none | −10.7¢ |
Winter (November 1 – May 31)
| When you use it | EV-TOU-5 | TOU-DR2 |
|---|---|---|
| 4–9 p.m., every day | 52.4¢ | 61.5¢ |
| Super off-peak hours* | 12.3¢ | 47.4¢ |
| All other hours | 46.6¢ | 47.4¢ |
| Baseline credit | none | −10.7¢ |
* Weekdays 12–6 a.m. and 10 a.m.–2 p.m.; weekends and holidays 12 a.m.–2 p.m. TOU-DR2 has no super off-peak period, so these hours are billed at its off-peak price. TOU-DR2's baseline credit applies to your usage up to 130% of your baseline allowance, which depends on your climate zone and the season. SDG&E's website shows it as a lower first tier instead: in summer, for example, 31.0¢ off-peak and 58.9¢ on-peak for that usage. Both plans also have SDG&E's Base Services Charge of $0.79 a day, about $24 a month ($0.40 a day for FERA customers). CARE customers pay lower prices than the ones shown.
Get an email when SDG&E changes these hours or prices
SDG&E changes its prices several times a year, and it moved its super off-peak hours in May 2026. We update this guide each time and send you the new numbers.
You're on the list. We'll email you when SDG&E changes these hours or prices.
What it costs to charge one EV
Take 300 kWh a month, about 1,000 miles in an EV that uses 30 kWh per 100 miles. Here's that charging alone on each plan:
| 300 kWh a month, charged… | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight on EV-TOU-5 | $39 | $37 |
| Overnight on TOU-DR2 | $125 | $142 |
| 4–9 p.m. on EV-TOU-5 | $241 | $157 |
| 4–9 p.m. on TOU-DR2 | $209 | $184 |
Overnight means midnight to 6 a.m. TOU-DR2's baseline credit isn't counted here; it's included in the full example below.
The catch: the rest of your home switches too
EV-TOU-5 covers your whole home, not just the car, so all your usage moves to its prices. Here's how much more (+) or less (−) each kWh costs on EV-TOU-5 than on TOU-DR2:
| Each kWh your home uses… | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| 4–9 p.m. | +10.6¢ | −9.1¢ |
| In super off-peak hours | −28.6¢ | −35.0¢ |
| All other hours | +8.0¢ | −0.8¢ |
| Baseline credit you give up | up to 10.7¢ | up to 10.7¢ |
In plain English: in winter, EV-TOU-5 is cheaper in every time period. In summer, it costs more outside super off-peak hours, and you lose TOU-DR2's baseline credit. It pays off when enough of your usage lands in super off-peak hours: EV charging, plus laundry, the dishwasher or a pool pump if you can run them then. If you run a lot of AC from 4 to 9 p.m. in summer, the penalty grows.
A full example
Picture a home that uses 400 kWh a month: 100 kWh from 4 to 9 p.m. and 300 kWh at other off-peak hours. To stay conservative, none of it falls in super off-peak hours. It also charges an EV overnight with 300 kWh. We assume 300 kWh of its usage qualifies for TOU-DR2's baseline credit. This is a 30-day bill: energy plus the Base Services Charge.
| One month | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| TOU-DR2 | $311 | $337 |
| EV-TOU-5 | $292 | $253 |
| EV-TOU-5 saves | $19 | $85 |
Over a year (5 summer months and 7 winter months), that's about $690 less on EV-TOU-5.
Now the same home charging only 50 kWh a month at home. TOU-DR2 wins: it's about $52 cheaper in a summer month and $3 cheaper in a winter month. In this example, EV-TOU-5 starts winning at about 230 kWh of overnight charging a month in summer, and about 60 kWh in winter.
Estimates only. They leave out taxes, city fees and credits such as the California Climate Credit. Your result depends on how much power you use, when you use it, and your baseline allowance.
Have solar?
SDG&E itself lists EV-TOU-5 as a good fit for customers who can charge an EV overnight or who are on the Solar Billing Plan (SBP). If you went solar under the older net-metering rules (NEM 1.0 or 2.0), your exports are credited differently, so check the math before you switch.
Buy power from San Diego Community Power or Clean Energy Alliance?
If your bill shows one of these community choice providers, your cents per kWh are different from the SDG&E prices above, because they supply the generation part of your bill. The plans and the hours work the same way, so the logic in this guide still applies.
How to switch
You can review and change your pricing plan in your SDG&E online account at sdge.com. For EV-TOU-5 you'll need an EV registered with the California DMV and a Level 1 or Level 2 charger at home.
Want this with your real numbers?
Our free savings analysis compares the plans using your actual SDG&E bill. It also tells you whether solar or a home charger makes sense for you. It takes about 60 seconds to request, with no cost and no obligation.
Get My Free Savings Analysis →Sources
- SDG&E, Schedule EV-TOU-5 Total Rates Table, effective 8/1/2026
- SDG&E, Schedule TOU-DR2 Total Rates Table, effective 8/1/2026
- SDG&E, Residential pricing plans (hours and eligibility)
- SDG&E, California is changing how electricity is billed (Base Services Charge)
- SDG&E, Baseline allowance (season dates)
- UCAN, SDG&E's 10 a.m.–2 p.m. weekday super off-peak period, year-round from May 1, 2026
GreenMove is an independent energy consultant and is not affiliated with SDG&E. This guide is general information, not a guarantee of savings. SDG&E changes its prices several times a year, so check the current prices at sdge.com before you decide.