Anyone apply for the L2 charger rebate from SCE in CA? Question about the terms

[bottomsup]

I read this

Charge Ready Home Installation Rebate | SCE Clean Fuel Rewards Program

and this bullet jumped out at me.

1. You must provide proof of purchase of a Level 2 charging station and a photograph of Level 2 charging station installed at the property.

Does the UMC count or do i need a clipper creek or wall charger?

 

[TW14 9LF]

Interesting, they must have changed the program recently. I applied for and received this rebate on my previous EV about two years ago. I did not send any pictures of my EVSE in my application. I hope this isn't required, I just sold my EVSE since I don't use it to charge my Tesla.

Keith

 

[jjrandorin]

when i read it, it was a rebate to cover the cost of INSTALLATION of an EVSE, not for the evse itself. I ignored it because it requires time of use rates. I have solar, and I am grandfathered into the non time of use rates. Switching to any of the time of use plans would cost me enough to eat up the rebate SCE offers in just a couple of years.

Likely thats why they are forcing everyone (even new solar installs) onto the time of use rate instead of the one I am on, which is the regular "usage" rate (and my panels produce more than I use so I pay them $9 a month for connection fees and thats about it.

They even "selected me for a pilot program to convert to time of use rates" last year sometime and I had to fight tooth and nail to make them not switch me, as I am grandfathered in for 20 years.

Anyway, I think you have to pay for an EVSE install, which is what that rebate is for.

 

[derkan]

No. "If your vehicle came your charging equipment, such as a mobile connector or charging cable, please upload documentation showing your vehicle came with the equipment. This documentation will frequently look like Sample 2." I did this successfully twice.

 

[jjrandorin]

Ok, thanks for the correction. Like I said, once i read the very beginning about "must be on time of use rate" and that you would be required to be on the time of use rate for 24 months, I knew I would not file for it.

 

[Big Dog]

I didn't apply since I did not want to go on a ToU plan. (Paying .48 for ac in the summer makes little sense to me.)

 

[bottomsup]

I am setting my charge to midnight to build a pattern to see if the plan does make sense for me but I agree about summer and I only have 4 months left to apply for it and it’s december so there is no time to test that.

 

[TW14 9LF]

I didn't apply since I did not want to go on a ToU plan. (Paying .48 for ac in the summer makes little sense to me.)

Did they change the program to require you go on a ToU plan to get the rebate? When I did this previously on my first EV, this was also not a requirement.

 

[andy92782]

ToU is required for the rebate. I applied for it and was just sent an email saying everything was approved *except* for the fact that I'm not on a ToU plan. Once I switch, I'll get the rebate.

When I requested the switch to ToU on SCE's website I was told the change could take up to two billing cycles (!!!).

Hopefully it works out. Based on my historical usage, SCE's rate plan calculators suggest ToU would otherwise be a wash and might even save me a few bucks compared to the regular tiered plan, and this is before taking night-time EV charging into consideration.

I'll probably get a Nest (or similar) Wi-Fi thermostat and sign up for the "let me roast on really hot days but save me money" thermostat plan. Instead of paying $0.50/kWh on hot summer afternoons I can always sit in my Tesla and run the A/C to cool off, then let it recharge at night for $0.12/kWh.

Solar isn't an option for me as I live in a condo.

 

[Big Dog]

Instead of paying $0.50/kWh on hot summer afternoons I can always sit in my Tesla and run the A/C to cool off, then let it recharge at night for $0.12/kWh

We've often thought about that.

Or crank up the a/c at 6 am to drop the temp in the house to 60 degrees and it can take a long time to get hot.

 

[THX723]

Did those of you that got approved had to show proof of installation by a licensed professional?

 

[andy92782]

Did those of you that got approved had to show proof of installation by a licensed professional?

Yes. The rebate application website requires the applicant to upload about a half-dozen different forms (either PDF or JPG), one of which is an invoice from a licensed electrician. Other things they ask for are an invoice for the charger (ie Tesla wall connector), a photo showing final installation, a scan of the building permit from your city and a note from your mother, err, HOA, if applicable. About the only thing they don't ask for is a urine sample.

 

[THX723]

Yes. The rebate application website requires the applicant to upload about a half-dozen different forms (either PDF or JPG), one of which is an invoice from a licensed electrician. Other things they ask for are an invoice for the charger (ie Tesla wall connector), a photo showing final installation, a scan of the building permit from your city and a note from your mother, err, HOA, if applicable. About the only thing they don't ask for is a urine sample.

A real bummer, since I did the installation myself. Thanks for confirming.

 

[4Runner]

I was too denied for not having document that showed the purchase order for the charger that came with my Model 3. SCE told me I needed to get the purchase sheet from Tesla to indicate that the charger was part of the equipment.. long story short, contact local Costa Mesa Tesla where I purchased it. They said they will look into it, but they never called me back. I finally just created a PDF and wrote that the charger came with the car and included a photo of the charger on the wall and submitted the PDF to SCE. A few days later, they said I was approved.

 

[andy92782]

I was too denied for not having document that showed the purchase order for the charger that came with my Model 3. SCE told me I needed to get the purchase sheet from Tesla to indicate that the charger was part of the equipment.. long story short, contact local Costa Mesa Tesla where I purchased it. They said they will look into it, but they never called me back. I finally just created a PDF and wrote that the charger came with the car and included a photo of the charger on the wall and submitted the PDF to SCE. A few days later, they said I was approved.

Are you referring to the UMC that comes with the car or the Tesla Wall Connector (which doesn't)?

BTW - I own a 4Runner as well. It's not getting much use these days... I'm driving the Tesla too much!

 

[bottomsup]

ToU is required for the rebate. I applied for it and was just sent an email saying everything was approved *except* for the fact that I'm not on a ToU plan. Once I switch, I'll get the rebate.

When I requested the switch to ToU on SCE's website I was told the change could take up to two billing cycles (!!!).

Hopefully it works out. Based on my historical usage, SCE's rate plan calculators suggest ToU would otherwise be a wash and might even save me a few bucks compared to the regular tiered plan, and this is before taking night-time EV charging into consideration.

I'll probably get a Nest (or similar) Wi-Fi thermostat and sign up for the "let me roast on really hot days but save me money" thermostat plan. Instead of paying $0.50/kWh on hot summer afternoons I can always sit in my Tesla and run the A/C to cool off, then let it recharge at night for $0.12/kWh.

Solar isn't an option for me as I live in a condo.

It still says that the time of use plan will cost me about $30 more per month but I’m going to let it go for a while and see if it changes based on the charging after midnight every day.

I would do this with the air conditioning thing but my wife is an AC freak

 

[Big Dog]

I am setting my charge to midnight to build a pattern to see if the plan does make sense for me

You can also just build a quick spreadsheet model. Go onto SCE's website and pull up your electric usage for the past year. And then assume that you will charge xx miles next year charging at regular rates ($0.26 for me most of the year, and $0.37 during ac season) vs a ToU which gets you 13 cent electrons for your car, but bumps your ac to .48. Obviously, the more you drive -- and charge at home and not a super charger -- the more a ToU makes sense. But if its a second car, with not much use....

I've run compared scenarios using SCE's rate suggestions, and I'm unconvinced of their accuracy/methodology.

 

[gilscales]

We are on the TOU-D-B plan and we moved there as soon as it was available, we do not have solar and typically use north of 2,000 kWh a month so we saved quite a bit from the old tiered rates as most of our usage ended up in tier 5 or whatever their top tier is, they say that if you average over 700 kWh monthly you would save on the B over the A plan and notice how much cheaper all the rates are.

Time-Of-Use Residential Rate Plans

 

[JSS007]

I was too denied for not having document that showed the purchase order for the charger that came with my Model 3. SCE told me I needed to get the purchase sheet from Tesla to indicate that the charger was part of the equipment.. long story short, contact local Costa Mesa Tesla where I purchased it. They said they will look into it, but they never called me back. I finally just created a PDF and wrote that the charger came with the car and included a photo of the charger on the wall and submitted the PDF to SCE. A few days later, they said I was approved.

Wow, great tip! I'm in the same boat and will try your PDF note + photo method. I may also get Tesla to send something saying the charger came with the car and the charger serial number per my electrician's advice. Throw both against the wall kinda thing..

 

[andy92782]

Has anyone here successfully received their L2 charger rebate?

One of the problems I'm currently facing is SCE's laziness in terms of switching my rate plan to TOU. I submitted a request on their website to change my plan to TOU on 11/30. Their site said it may take up to two billing cycles for the changes to take affect. Seriously?!?! They're not kidding. I'm still on the old plan and it's holding up the rebate...