If you drive an electric vehicle in Los Angeles, when you charge matters just as much as how you charge. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) offers a Time-of-Use (TOU) residential rate plan called R-1B that prices electricity differently depending on the time of day. For EV owners in North Hollywood, Burbank, Studio City, and throughout the San Fernando Valley, understanding this rate structure can translate into meaningful savings on your monthly electricity bill — especially if you pair it with the right vehicle and charging setup.

Unlike LADWP's standard tiered plan (R-1A), which charges more as your total consumption rises, the R-1B TOU plan divides each day into three pricing periods based on grid demand. Electricity costs less when fewer people are using it and more during the afternoon hours when air conditioning and commercial activity peak.

LADWP R-1B Weekday Rate Periods

The R-1B plan includes a $12 monthly service charge and eliminates the tiered structure entirely. For EV owners, the key advantage is clear: charge your vehicle during the Base period — overnight and on weekends — and you pay the lowest available rate per kilowatt-hour. Charging during the High Peak window on a weekday afternoon could cost roughly 30–40% more depending on the season.

Rates adjust quarterly and vary between LADWP's winter (October–May) and summer (June–September) schedules, so checking LADWP's current residential rate page before making decisions is always a smart move.

If your household already pushes into Tier 3 on the standard R-1A plan — which commonly happens once you add regular EV charging to your electricity load — switching to R-1B can reduce your overall costs by letting you shift that heavy charging consumption to the cheapest hours of the day.

However, if your household runs significant loads during weekday afternoons — home offices, air conditioning, pool pumps — and you cannot shift those, the High Peak surcharge on R-1B may offset the overnight savings. LADWP recommends evaluating your usage patterns before switching, and the utility provides tools to help compare plans.

The easiest way to take advantage of LADWP's Base period pricing is to schedule your EV charging to start automatically after 8:00 PM on weekdays. Most modern EVs, including the 2026 Toyota bZ, include built-in charge scheduling that lets you set specific charging windows directly from the vehicle's infotainment system or through a connected mobile app.

LADWP's Residential EV Charger Rebate Program helps offset the cost of installing a Level 2 (240-volt) home charger — the recommended setup for overnight TOU charging.

Current Incentive Breakdown

Combining LADWP's rebate with the federal tax credit can offset a significant portion of your Level 2 charger and dedicated meter installation costs.

Toyota's refreshed 2026 Toyota bZ — formerly the bZ4X — is purpose-built for smart home charging. With a manufacturer-estimated range of up to 314 miles on the XLE FWD Plus model and its 74.7-kWh battery, most North Hollywood commuters can charge once or twice a week during Base period hours and cover their daily driving with room to spare.

With an MSRP starting at $34,900, the 2026 bZ positions itself as a practical, affordable EV for Los Angeles drivers who want to pair Toyota reliability with LADWP's cost-saving rate structure.