Burlington Hydro EV Charging Costs for Homeowners

Rate examples checked October 13, 2026

The OEB's published energy rates are 3.9¢/kWh for ULO from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., and 9.8¢/kWh for TOU off-peak. ULO weekday peak is 39.1¢/kWh from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; weekend daytime ULO is a separate 9.8¢/kWh band. These are energy prices, before delivery, regulatory charges, tax and bill rebates. Confirm your plan and current tariff before budgeting.

Picture your EV parked outside on a January night, frost setting on the windows while the rest of Burlington sleeps. Those quiet hours are when grid demand bottoms out and Burlington Hydro power is at its cheapest, and they happen to be exactly when your car is idle and ready to drink. Installation timing must be confirmed for your project. What follows tracks how that plays out through a Burlington year rather than reciting a rate sheet.

Driveway charging across the Burlington seasons

An outdoor charger lives a different life in February than it does in July, and the bill follows suit. A cold-soaked battery on a frosty Burlington morning sips charge more slowly and a busy cabin heater pulls extra, so winter energy use per kilometre simply runs higher than a mild spring. The saving grace is that the cheapest power and your longest idle stretch both land overnight, season after season. A car left plugged in on the driveway warms itself as it charges in the small hours, so you trade the priciest daytime rate for the cheapest nighttime one and step into a defrosted car at dawn. The seasons change the size of the charge; the best hour to take it does not.

When power is cheap and when it is dear

Two facts decide most of your charging cost. The first: across a weekday, the small overnight and pre-dawn hours carry Burlington Hydro's lowest time-of-use rate, while the working day and dinner stretch are dearest, and a mid-peak shoulder sits in between. The second: weekends and statutory holidays run at the cheap off-peak rate around the clock, which is the moment for a deep top-up before a heavy commuting week or a winter road trip. Set against that, an EV on a driveway is the easiest load in the house to shift, since it is parked and patient through the whole cheap window.

The two rates an EV actually lives between

The mid-peak shoulder between them rarely earns a charge: only worth a look if you arrive home short and need a few kilometres before the overnight window opens. The exact prices are not ours to quote, since Burlington Hydro sets its cents-per-kilowatt-hour under rates the provincial regulator reviews and resets from time to time. The numbers drift; the pattern of cheap nights and costly afternoons stays put, and it is all your schedule needs to know.

Overnight scheduling for a Burlington winter

For Burlington charging, scheduling can shift energy into a lower-price window on TOU or ULO. Tiered pricing depends on monthly use instead of the hour. Use the vehicle or compatible charger settings, check the selected plan and allow for the energy needed and time parked. A schedule alone does not guarantee a full battery or a saving on the whole bill. Compare whole-household plans with the OEB bill calculator.

Time-of-use, tiered, and the ultra-low overnight plan

Compare the electricity plans available for your Burlington account. TOU and ULO have scheduled price bands, while Tiered pricing depends on monthly consumption rather than charging time. A cheaper overnight energy rate can come with higher daytime prices, so compare total household use and the full utility bill before changing plans.

Changing plans is a phone call, not a rewire

Ask your electricity provider how to change plans and when the change takes effect. Compare the whole Burlington household, including daytime heating, cooling and appliances, rather than choosing from EV charging alone.

Energy cost and total bill cost

Your Burlington charging budget has two useful figures: the energy charge and the incremental total bill cost. Some delivery and regulatory charges vary with kWh, while monthly customer charges are fixed. Added charging can therefore increase more than the energy line. Check your own utility tariff, losses, tax and applicable bill rebate. Toronto Hydro's current tariff illustrates both fixed and per-kWh charges; use the rates for your actual address.

Installation facts and equipment guidance

ESA notification and contractor requirements explain electrical-work responsibilities. Manufacturer charging guidance explains why output varies by vehicle and power supply. Ask the confirmed contractor to apply those requirements to your Burlington project.

First enquiry and later project review

Start with the short enquiry form: first name, preferred contact details and postal code. After first contact, the service provider may request the project details and photos below. The form does not take attachments.

• Your EV model and rough nightly charging need
• A photo of your panel for sizing
• Whether you want app scheduling or a simple timer setup

Start with Get A Free Quote. Your enquiry goes to the service provider, which may ask for panel and parking photos after first contact and confirms the contractor, scope, price and availability.