Residential electricity rate: how RVE solutions maximize long-term savings

When installing a charging infrastructure, attention is almost always focused on the initial cost: equipment, installation, electrical work. However, this cost is only the first line of a bill that spans several decades. Once the infrastructure is in place, it is the electricity consumed that continues to be billed year after year.

That is why the rate of this electricity must be taken into account; a few cents more or less makes a significant difference over several years.

It is precisely this logic of long-term total cost that underpins RVE’s solutions: enabling charging that protects access to the most advantageous rates and optimizes the use of available energy, long after the infrastructure has been installed.

The figures and examples presented in this article are based on the current regulatory and electricity rate context in Québec.

The DCC advantage: the residential rate

In other words, from Hydro-Quebec’s point of view, the charging station becomes an electrical appliance in the home, just like a water heater or stove. Consumption related to charging is therefore measured by the home’s residential meter and billed at the corresponding residential rate.

RVE’s unique advantage

In multifamily buildings, if the energy management system is connected to a common area electrical panel or a shared electrical service:

Even if the charging system is a smart one, the simple fact that it is connected to a shared panel completely changes the pricing structure.

RVE’s DCC is patented, making it the only EVEMS that allows a direct-to-meter connection.

In addition, installing a HUB and DCC+ in a multifamily building allows charging access to all residents while protecting critical electrical infrastructure components, without compromising the rate structure.

Each DCC+ remains connected to the individual electrical infrastructure of the dwelling, ensuring that charging is always measured by each unit’s residential meter and billed at the residential rate. The DCC+ units are connected to the HUB, which allows for centralized energy management while optimizing power distribution among all connected vehicles. This approach ensures fair and reliable charging performance for all residents, without oversizing the electrical infrastructure.

RVE, an approach that favours long-term savings

Charging becomes even more advantageous when it is based on a solid economic foundation.

By allowing you to stay on the residential rate and optimize the use of available energy, RVE solutions transform charging into a sustainable, predictable, and profitable choice in the long term.