General EV Conversation
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,550
Likes: 668
From: SC
The electric utility doesn't know what your home is using each kwh of electricity for. They just charge you a rate based on time of day per kwh consumed. So if you're charging a car or running an air conditioner or running your lights its all kwhs used and billed per kwh.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,244
Likes: 275
i think they can do more than that. charging an ev is a GIANT electrical load (7-11kw) compared to EVERYTHING else in the home. so when they see that 'ramp' they likely know it's an ev. for my little discount, i had to tell them i had an ev, what kind, the charger, etc., and commit to charging at off peak hours the majority of the time.
Also a lot of people dont charge at 11kw, usually 3kw-5kw is what people do around here as it is plenty to replenish energy you spent during your average day. Heck most of them keep it at shuko limit of 2.8kw.
Which means around 30%-40% replenishment during average night.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,796
Likes: 3,789
From: California
i think they can do more than that. charging an ev is a GIANT electrical load (7-11kw) compared to EVERYTHING else in the home. so when they see that 'ramp' they likely know it's an ev. for my little discount, i had to tell them i had an ev, what kind, the charger, etc., and commit to charging at off peak hours the majority of the time.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,919
Likes: 4,122
From: Maryland
About 80% of the meters out there now are smart meters. And they can tell all kinds of things about what you use and how much you use it. Not sure if anybody is using them to bill differently, but they certainly could at some point. I have one, and the usage they calculated for my car charger was almost exactly what my charger history said.
Last edited by SW17LS; Jan 27, 2025 at 01:08 PM.
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,403
Likes: 622
From: IL
Bob is largely correct with regards to the nationwide rollout. As of ~2.5 years ago, 73% of all residential electric meters in the US were smart meters, so we certainly should be around 80% by now. That said, Virginia does appear to be way behind the curve, only having started its rollout in 2022:
My area completed the rollout in 2016, and my specific meter was installed in 2014.
But Steve is right on the nose with regards to the functionality. Smart meters sit at the service entrance, directly in place of the old dumb meter. It can measure power flowing into or out of the home, and report that every few minutes. As opposed to having someone walk by and physically observe the numbers on it every couple of months. But it only knows the aggregate flows--it has no insight as to what that electricity is being used for. To get there you'd need either independent reporting from your EVSE (which some support), or a smart panel like the SPAN or something else. This could get you usage detail down to the specific circuit.
My area completed the rollout in 2016, and my specific meter was installed in 2014.
But Steve is right on the nose with regards to the functionality. Smart meters sit at the service entrance, directly in place of the old dumb meter. It can measure power flowing into or out of the home, and report that every few minutes. As opposed to having someone walk by and physically observe the numbers on it every couple of months. But it only knows the aggregate flows--it has no insight as to what that electricity is being used for. To get there you'd need either independent reporting from your EVSE (which some support), or a smart panel like the SPAN or something else. This could get you usage detail down to the specific circuit.
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,550
Likes: 668
From: SC
I'm in the housing industry remember, this is not correct, at least around here. Smart meters are not required and they're not at all that common around here. No utilities are using them to bill differently that I have ever heard of. What they do is use that data to time charger use so that it happens when the rates and demand are lower, thats really what the electric utilities use smart meters for.
Smart meter penetration surpasses 80% in North America
https://www.power-grid.com/smart-gri...north-america/ClubLexus Stories
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Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,919
Likes: 4,122
From: Maryland
Smart meter penetration surpasses 80% in North America
https://www.power-grid.com/smart-gri...north-america/
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,550
Likes: 668
From: SC
Bob is largely correct with regards to the nationwide rollout. As of ~2.5 years ago, 73% of all residential electric meters in the US were smart meters, so we certainly should be around 80% by now. That said, Virginia does appear to be way behind the curve, only having started its rollout in 2022:
My area completed the rollout in 2016, and my specific meter was installed in 2014.
But Steve is right on the nose with regards to the functionality. Smart meters sit at the service entrance, directly in place of the old dumb meter. It can measure power flowing into or out of the home, and report that every few minutes. As opposed to having someone walk by and physically observe the numbers on it every couple of months. But it only knows the aggregate flows--it has no insight as to what that electricity is being used for. To get there you'd need either independent reporting from your EVSE (which some support), or a smart panel like the SPAN or something else. This could get you usage detail down to the specific circuit.
My area completed the rollout in 2016, and my specific meter was installed in 2014.
But Steve is right on the nose with regards to the functionality. Smart meters sit at the service entrance, directly in place of the old dumb meter. It can measure power flowing into or out of the home, and report that every few minutes. As opposed to having someone walk by and physically observe the numbers on it every couple of months. But it only knows the aggregate flows--it has no insight as to what that electricity is being used for. To get there you'd need either independent reporting from your EVSE (which some support), or a smart panel like the SPAN or something else. This could get you usage detail down to the specific circuit.
https://www.bidgely.com/technology/disaggregation/
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,550
Likes: 668
From: SC
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,796
Likes: 3,789
From: California
I have a smart meter, but PG&E doesn't give me any break down on my bill except what my solar generated. But than again, this is PG&E...
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 5,477
Likes: 959
From: FL
Not really true. Smart meters can tell a lot about what appliances you have and how much energy they each use through something called disaggregation. It was very accurate about my EV charger usage. It could even tell that I have a top load washer instead of a front loader.
Lead Lap
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 3,958
Likes: 409
Just talked to my friend who had smart meter that he could see how many kWh an appliance was using. Since he switched to Tesla Electric he can no longer see how many kwh his water heater is using. Tesla electric offers him a better rate when charging vs his old utility company. He’s been with Tesla electric little over a year now.
Not really true. Smart meters can tell a lot about what appliances you have and how much energy they each use through something called disaggregation. It was very accurate about my EV charger usage. It could even tell that I have a top load washer instead of a front loader.
https://www.bidgely.com/technology/disaggregation/
https://www.bidgely.com/technology/disaggregation/