Is Home EV Charging Worth a TOU Meter? 2026: Cost Per Charge, Per Month & Payback
EVs use a lot of power — but if you set charging after 22:00 every night, the Off-Peak rate on a TOU meter (2.6369 THB/unit) is less than half the daytime On-Peak rate and clearly beats a normal meter. This page runs the real numbers: what one charge and a full month cost, a 3-way comparison, and when the meter change pays for itself.
Yes — for people who charge their EV at home mostly overnight, a TOU meter is usually clearly worth it. Off-Peak (22:00–09:00 on weekdays, plus all of Saturday–Sunday/holidays) costs just 2.6369 THB/unit, while a normal meter's top tier is ~4.4217 THB/unit. Fully charging an EV (a 60-unit battery draws ~66 units from the meter once charging losses are counted) therefore costs about 40% less per charge on Off-Peak than on a normal meter — and the more you drive, the faster it pays back. But you must genuinely charge at night — plug in during weekday daytime (On-Peak 5.7982 THB/unit) and it's pricier than a normal meter. Before deciding, see how to switch to a TOU meter and the whole-home TOU break-even.
One Home Charge: How Many Units, and What It Costs
First, know how many 'units' (kWh) your car draws per charge. Assume an EV with a 60-unit usable battery — home AC charging loses about 10%, so a 0→100% charge draws roughly 66 units from the meter. Multiply 66 units by each rate:
| Meter / time slot | Rate (THB/unit) | Cost per charge (~66 units) |
|---|---|---|
| TOU — Off-Peak (charge 22:00–09:00 / holidays) | 2.6369 | ≈ 174 THB |
| Normal meter — top tier (for comparison) | 4.4217 | ≈ 292 THB |
| TOU — On-Peak (charging weekday daytime) | 5.7982 | ≈ 383 THB |
Rates above are energy charges before Ft (+0.1623 THB/unit, May–Aug 2026) and 7% VAT, which add equally to every option and so don't change which is cheaper. Scale the 'units per charge' to your car's battery (e.g. a 45-unit battery ≈ 50 units from the meter). See the full rates at the TOU on/off-peak schedule.
Monthly EV Charging Cost — TOU vs a Normal Meter
Assume you drive ~1,500 km/month at ~16 units per 100 km = ~240 units at the wheels; with charging losses ≈ 260 units/month drawn from the meter. This is the EV-charging portion only (not the rest of your home bill):
| Where/when you charge | 260 units/mo × rate | vs Off-Peak |
|---|---|---|
| TOU Off-Peak (nights/holidays) | ≈ 686 THB/mo | — (cheapest) |
| Normal meter (top tier) | ≈ 1,150 THB/mo | +~464 THB more |
| TOU On-Peak (weekday daytime) | ≈ 1,507 THB/mo | +~821 THB more |
Charging Off-Peak saves about 464 THB/month (~5,570 THB/year) on the EV portion alone versus a normal meter. MEA's TOU meter-change fee is ~3,350 THB (1-phase), so it pays back in about 7 months from EV charging alone — pure saving after that, and that's before the rest of your off-peak home use (overnight laundry/AC) also gets cheaper. (PEA may differ slightly from MEA — call 1129 to confirm.)
Should an EV Owner Switch to TOU? (Checklist)
Not every EV owner comes out ahead — the key is whether you can genuinely charge at night. Run this check:
Can schedule charging after 22:00 every night — you have home parking/a charger and can set the car or EV charger to start after 22:00.
Drive a lot, charge often — the more units you charge per month, the more the 2.6369 vs 4.4217 THB/unit gap compounds, and the faster the meter change pays back.
Can shift other home loads to night too — if laundry, drying, sleeping-AC and the water pump can be timed to Off-Peak, the win grows further (see the whole-home TOU break-even).
It may NOT pay off if you must charge mainly during weekday daytime (e.g. charging at home during the day because you work from home, or over a lunch break) — that's On-Peak 5.7982 THB/unit, pricier than a normal meter. And if your home is already power-heavy by day, rooftop solar to self-generate (including daytime EV charging from the sun) may beat switching to TOU — CapSolar can assess for free.
About this page
Compiled by the CapSolar team, led by Frank Lee (Founder). The baht figures use the MEA/PEA TOU rates (On-Peak 5.7982 / Off-Peak 2.6369 THB/unit) and are derived from clearly stated assumptions (60-unit battery, ~10% charging loss, 1,500 km/month) that you can adjust to your own car and driving. This page is general information, not personal advice — exact meter-change costs and conditions come from the utilities (PEA 1129 / MEA 1130).
FAQ
Car home in the daytime? Charge your EV free with the sun
If the car is home by day and the roof gets sun, CapSolar will assess for free whether solar to charge your EV by day + cut your home bill pays off.