The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission has introduced a revised Time of Day (ToD) billing model, in a move aimed at nudging electric vehicle (EV) users towards daytime charging. Under the new structure, electricity rates for EV charging stations will vary significantly based on the time of use, with a clear push to favour solar energy hours.
From now on, the day is split into two simple zones: Solar period: 9 am to 4 pm and non-solar period: 4 pm to 9 am
Charging your EV during the solar period will be 30% cheaper than the standard rate. If the base tariff is ₹100, daytime charging would cost just ₹70. On the flip side, if you plug in your vehicle after 4 pm, expect to pay ₹130—30% more.
This new rule replaces Kerala’s earlier three-zone billing structure, which had been in use for EV stations until now.
This move falls in line with the Central Government’s updated guidelines on EV charging infrastructure. The idea is to encourage more charging during the day, when solar energy is abundant, and reduce the strain on the power grid during peak hours, particularly in the evenings.
While this is good news for most EV users, not everyone is cheering. Charging stations that run on captive on-grid solar plants could find the new rules a bit tricky.
Until now, these stations could generate solar power during the day, feed the surplus into the grid, and use credits for night-time consumption. But under the revised guidelines, any excess power fed into the grid after 4 pm will not be recorded. And only 53% of solar power supplied during daytime will be credited if it's consumed at night.
So, unless these solar-based stations get more users between 9 am and 4 pm, they could end up losing out financially. The smarter option for them? Offer attractive daytime rates to pull in customers and make the most of their solar power.
The directive also makes it clear that charging station operators must pass on the discounted rates to end users. But here's the catch: the Commission doesn’t have the authority to enforce this. That means unless operators voluntarily comply, users might not always see the reduced bills.
That said, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has confirmed that its own charging stations are already aligned with the new policy and offering the discounted daytime rates.