Tesla introduces time-of-day Supercharger rates at select locations

[Feathermerchan]

This is the sterile version of how charges are set, and it actually is a pretty good description of commercial charges. It completely breaks down though with residential due to regulatory overview. If you go to PUC meetings you will hear some variation of the following:

1. We the utility have to (want to) collect this much revenue to cover expenses. Let's decide who to charge how much to reach that number
2. We the utility invested this much money last year. We expect a 10% ROI

The cost of service for residential has the same components as commercial service but residential customers have similar load shapes across the class where as commercial are not homogeneous. So a rate without a demand component can be designed for residential service and be pretty fair across the residential class.
So demand cost is there in a residential rate but it is hidden the energy (kWh) component. In addition, rates with demand charges are more difficult to explain to the customer and used to be more expensive to meter.

 

[ZoomsansVroom]

So, piggybacking off this, into 2 way charging, at home, it seems like it would be nifty to have a way to set the car to buy and sell power, based on instantaneous pricing - especially if it could be set to offset the increased demand of when the AC compressor starts, etc...

 

[Feathermerchan]

Zoom- What you propose is certainly technically possible. From the utility standpoint, will you commit to providing the offsetting demand 100% of the time? If so, the utility could bank on that and build a smaller service to your house and never have to build powerplant, and transmission capacity to serve that demand. That could save you some money.
Problem is, that most cannot make that commitment so then what? and who is going to monitor that?

 

[ZoomsansVroom]

I was thinking more of a systematic process, as electric cars become more common.

I suppose a mini power wall would be OK for that.

I keep trying to get someone at Tesla to tell me if there’s a way to use a few power walls for that purpose with 3 phase at work, but I don’t get a response.

(we don’t actually use much power, but have a high demand load)

 

[kayak1]

I was thinking more of a systematic process, as electric cars become more common.

I suppose a mini power wall would be OK for that.

I keep trying to get someone at Tesla to tell me if there’s a way to use a few power walls for that purpose with 3 phase at work, but I don’t get a response.

(we don’t actually use much power, but have a high demand load)

For 3phase they make/sell a Powerpack - Commercial & Utility Energy Storage Solutions | Tesla you may need transformers as they default to 480v.

 

[ka9q]

I'm curious, ZoomsandVroom, what delivery voltage do you get at work? Most 3-phase business customers I know are large enough to take it at 277/480V (or higher), but I suppose there's a significant slice of the customer base big enough to need 3-phase but not big enough to need it at 480V. I do see some small businesses apparently wired to three conventional "pole pigs", which I assume means they get 3 phase at 120/208V.

 

[Feathermerchan]

Even pole pigs can supply 277/480. At our church we have 277V for lighting and then a separate transformer to get 120V for plugs.
There are a number of customers with 120/240V Delta. It's handy for medium size customers.

 

[FlatSix911]

Still the best option available... Harvard Business Review: Tesla Superchargers leave competitors 'in the dust"

"According to the authors, "The reason why consumers still choose Teslas over products like Audi’s eTron or attractive EVs from GM’s Buick, Cadillac, GMC, and Chevy brands is perhaps surprisingly simple. They can drive their Teslas for long distances in full confidence that they will find convenient locations at which to recharge their vehicle. While the incumbent automakers are still focused narrowly on perfecting their electric cars, Tesla has been thinking about the entire vehicle system, with the aim of solving consumers’ core driving needs."

In contrast, looking at the options for legacy automakers, "the network of available [non-Tesla] charging stations is highly fractured across ownership and technology. The next largest network, compared to Tesla, is only 10% as large. Unless you buy a Tesla, you have few options for reliable route planning, guaranteed access, and rapid public charging."