If you’ve stepped out of the Ice Age and taken the plunge into the world of eco-friendly transportation, chances are you’ve already started reaping some financial benefits. Considering that Americans spend more than $2,000 USD per year on gasoline, those savings aren’t exactly chump change.

When it comes to EV chargers, many people simply buy, plug in and forget it, but there are actually several ways to save money with home charging, too. Here are some tips.

Call Your Utility Company

Many utility companies, especially those in and around urban areas, offer special discounted plans for owners of plug-in vehicles. Unfortunately, there is no database of these utility companies. It might sound archaic in today’s age of instant information, but the fastest way to find out if your utility offers this kind of plan is to give them a call. The nuisance of navigating the automated phone system and a few minutes on hold could really pay off when your rate drops from 35 cents per kilowatt-hour to 10 cents, which is entirely possible.

Charge During Off-Peak Hours

The plan that most EV owners choose is the utility’s whole-house time-of-use plan which divides the day into “peak,” “mid-peak” and “off-peak” hours. This plan charges more for electricity that is used during the hours when it’s in the highest demand. Off-peak blocks tend to be very late at night and into the early morning, midnight to 6 a.m., for example.

Save on buying an EV charger

Already priced below its competitors, our EV charger is not only affordable but intuitive. According to user Applewins, "One of the best things about this charger is the intuitive lighting sequence on the surface of the device. By looking at the segmented flashes, you can instantly tell if it's charging, how long it's charging, or if it's in delay mode. ” In addition to the sleek, minimalist design, we also have convertible plugs.