Electric vehicles, often referred to as EVs, are automobiles powered by electricity instead of gasoline or diesel. They use electric motors powered by energy stored in rechargeable batteries. These batteries are charged by plugging the vehicle into an electrical outlet or a charging station. There are two main types of EVs:
Learn more at: U.S. Department of Transportation
Electric vehicle chargers come in three types of levels: Level 1, Level 2, and Direct Current (DC) Fast Charging. Level 1 and Level 2 chargers are most common in homes, public places like shopping malls and workplaces. On the other hand, fast charging chargers are usually located along roads and highways and are more suitable for long trips.
Learn more at: U.S. Department of Transportation
While LUMA does not build, operate, or maintain EV Charging stations, we will continue to improve the electrical grid to support the expansion of charging networks.
These are some of the benefits that Electric Vehicle (EV’s) owners enjoy:
Save Money: EVs are more energy efficient and have a lower operating cost than traditional vehicles. Additionally, electric vehicles do not require changing oils, spark plugs, air filters and other parts that would need changing in gasoline engine vehicle, resulting in reduced maintenance costs.
No More Gas Stations: With electric vehicles there’s no gas to burn or gas to buy. Charge your car at home overnight or at work if your employer offers workplace charging.
Performance: Electric motors provide instant torque, resulting in quick acceleration and responsive performance.
Benefits to the Environment: EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions, reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
Quiet and Smooth Operation: EVs are quieter and offer smoother acceleration compared to traditional vehicles contributing to reducing noise pollution in urban areas.
Incentives: Customers may also receive incentives for owning an EV. Currently, the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury grants a refund on some taxes paid on electric or hybrid vehicles. Learn more at: Departamento de Hacienda – Determinación Administrativa Núm. 11-08.
Learn about more EV benefits at fueleconomy.gov.
LUMA’s EV Time of Use (TOU) Residential Rate
Coming up soon!
As part of LUMA’s efforts to respond to the increasing number of Electric Vehicles circulating in Puerto Rico, LUMA is getting ready to launch the EV TOU Rate Pilot Program for residential customers with Eligible Vehicles and Chargers.
With the EV TOU Residential Rate, the cost of electricity needed to charge your EV varies based on the time of the day. Learn below how this rate works and the Benefits of the EV TOU Residential Rate.
How does the EV TOU Rate work?
The EV TOU Residential Rate empowers LUMA customers to choose how they manage their charging needs and allows them to save money by paying a less expensive rate depending on the time of day they decide to charge their EVs.
The graph shows how the cost of charging your EV varies throughout the day when you Enroll for LUMA EV TOU Residential Rate. Once enrolled, the customer will be charged based on all EV charging electricity consumption recorded through the customer’s Eligible Vehicles and Chargers.
Check the EV TOU Pilot Program’s Rules and Eligibility to learn more about pricing periods, tariff, and other applicable rules.
Benefits of the EV TOU Residential Rate
Learn more about how to Enroll for LUMA EV TOU Residential Rate and enjoy the benefits of this program!
EV TOU Rate Pilot Program
The EV TOU Rate Pilot Program is designed to provide special rates for residential customers with Eligible Vehicles or Chargers. During the pilot period, a limited number of 500 eligible vehicles or chargers will have access to the rates. After the pilot period of 12 months is completed, LUMA will study expanding the number of customers to the program.
The EV TOU Rate Pilot Program is scheduled to be launched on April 30th, 2024. Check the Program’s Rules and Eligibility and see how you can Enroll for LUMA EV TOU Residential Rate.
Why a Pilot Program?
The pilot program is intended to be in effect for 12 months so LUMA can monitor and evaluate the EV charging consumption data and customer behavior to support the decisions related to extension, scaling, and future improvements for this and other programs on LUMA’s EV team’s outlook.
Rules and Eligibility
Who can participate in this program?
Eligible Vehicles or Chargers
Certain plug-in electric vehicles from Kia, Hyundai, and Tesla are eligible to participate in LUMA’s EV Time of Use Rate program. Currently, LUMA’s EV Time of Use Rate program only accepts ChargePoint® Home Flex and Wallbox® Pulsar Plus chargers for participation. Even if your vehicle is not eligible, having a ChargePoint® Home Flex charger or Wallbox Pulsar Plus charger makes you eligible for the program.
New manufacturers, models and years may be added in the future, please check the evPulse website for the most updated list.
Technical Requirements
What do I do if have more than one EV?
It is possible to register more than 1 vehicle to the same account. However, the following conditions should be met:
Refer to evPulse Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
Eligibility Terms and Conditions
For more information on the EV TOU pilot programs’ rules and eligibility, please refer to the Terms & Conditions.
Net metering customers
Customers who own or plan to own a solar photovoltaic system with or without a battery storage system will be allowed to enroll in the EV Time of Use Rate. However, since LUMA cannot at this moment discern whether the enrolled EV is being charged by the PREPA electrical system or the Participating Customer onsite generation source, LUMA will bill such Participating Customers based on the main assumption that all energy used for charging the enrolled EV is being always provided by the PREPA electrical system.
EV TOU Tariff
The EV TOU tariff, filed on April 29, 2024, can be found at Puerto Rico Energy Bureau Docket NEPR-MI-2021-0013.
*The Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) is updated quarterly. Please refer to the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau Docket: NEPR-MI-2020-0001 (Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s Permanent Rate) for the current approved FCA value*. Additionally, LUMA keeps records of all tariffs approved by PREB here:
*LUMA does not generate electricity and does not determine the final impact that fuel costs may have on customer rates.
How do I know how much I will pay each month?
For Q2 2024, the FCA, approved by the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau, was defined as $0.114585 per kilowatt hour (kWh). This value is valid during the period of April 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024.
The table below contains an example of the EV TOU tariff calculation.
* Additional tariff riders are applicable. See below what changes in your LUMA Bill
Notice that the FCA may change each quarter, and the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau will approve and publicize it. Again, LUMA does not generate electricity and does not determine the final impact that fuel costs may have on customer rates.
What changes in my LUMA Bill?
Not much!
In the Service and Meter Information section of your bill, you will see the EV TOU charges are added to the current charges detail box.
You will see how much electricity you used in each pricing period in the month multiplied by the current approved EV TOU tariff. Notice that the EV TOU tariff is a blended rate, comprised of the FCA factored by the time you consume the electricity to charge your vehicle. While the customer and consumption charges tariffs in the Service Charges does not include the FCA, that goes in the Reconciliation Clauses.
You will continue to be charged all applicable riders to the General Residential Service (GRS) tariff. However, since the EV TOU rates already have Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) rider built in, you will notice that the electricity (kWh) used to charge your vehicle is not added into the FCA rider in the Reconciliation Clauses.
For example, if you used 100 kWh to charge your vehicle in a given month, and your overall electricity consumption measured in your meter was 625 kWh, the FCA rider will be:
Billing cycle
The billing cycle is the monthly billing period that begins and ends on an invoice. Accounts for customers who enroll in the LUMA EV TOU Rate Pilot Program will begin having their meter read on the last days of each month. The billing cycle change may result in adjustments to the days and/or amount billed in the previous and/or current billing period. In the event that your invoice is adjusted, you will receive an invoice adjustment notification with the details.
Once you are enrolled in the program, the effective date will depend on when you enrolled in relation to your current billing cycle. Any changes to LUMA’s billing system requires at least 5 calendar days prior to each customer’s final billing period (see where you can find it in the example below).
That means that if a customer enrolls too close (less than 5 days) to the end of their billing cycle, the effective date to start receiving EV TOU rate benefits will only be the 1st day of their next billing cycle (read date). Conversely, if the customer enrolls more than 5 days before the end of their billing cycle, the effective date will be the Previous Read Date (current billing cycle). The EV TOU fee will be applied from the date the customer officially enrolls on the platform. You’ll then be able to track your electricity usage for each charging session and for each billing period.
See the table below with some examples:
If you have more questions about the EV TOU tariff and billing, please send an email to [email protected].
Enroll for LUMA EV TOU Rates Pilot Program
LUMA residential customers can enroll in the LUMA EV TOU Residential Rate by registering on the evPulse website (https://join.luma.ev-pulse.com/en).
In the evPulse website, you will find the instructions to enroll and some additional information about the program and enrollment process, and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). If you have any questions about the evPulse website, send an email to [email protected], and our team will be happy to assist you! Also, check What’s evPulse?
How do I get enrolled for the LUMA EV TOU Rate Pilot Program?
Follow the instructions below and provide the requested information.
IMPORTANT: You will be required to agree to all the terms contained in these documents. By signing the checkbox, you will be automatically agreeing to all documents and electronically signing the Enrollment Agreement.
What should I do if I have problems enrolling?
evPulse has several tips throughout the registration process to clarify the information you need to provide and where to find it. Follow the instructions and check the Enrollment Rules for more information.
If you have any issues with the enrollment portal, please review the evPulse FAQ or send an email to [email protected].
Enrollment Rules
The enrollment will follow the order in which a customer submits the registration, providing all information is accurate and matches LUMA records. Once you register, LUMA will review and validate the information provided. Between 7-14 days, you should receive an email from [email protected] confirming your participation or requesting pending information.
IMPORTANT: If the program reaches the registration limit established for the interim pilot phase or if your vehicle/charger is not yet supported by evPulse platform, you will be automatically added to the Waitlist.
When you enroll, you will be required to agree with evPulse Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, both links available during registration process.
How to stop receiving evPulse emails?
evPulse will send you automated emails to confirm your email address, and to send you updates on your Charge Summary and Vehicle Reconnection. If you wish to unsubscribe to stop receiving emails from evPulse, the platform includes opt-out links at the bottom of every email (See image below).
Drivers must take action on their own, as this platform does not have the ability to do so on their behalf. You can also manage notifications through the dashboard.
IMPORTANT: If you decide to unsubscribe from receiving emails from evPulse, you may miss some important notifications about the program you are enrolled in. Also, unsubscribing from evPulse emails is not the same as
unenrolling from the EV TOU Pilot Program. See below for how to unenroll.
How to unenroll?
If you wish to withdraw from the program, please send an email to [email protected] requesting your exit from the program. For billing purposes, the unenrollment effective date will be the next calendar day of the unenrollment request email received by LUMA.
What’s evPulse?
evPulse is powered by WeaveGrid, a software provider that will help LUMA manage enrollment and provide the customer’s charging consumption information so that LUMA can bill each customer accordingly.
This service will also offer customers an online portal with helpful information about their charging behaviors and real time cost of EV charging. The cost shown on the Customer Portal includes the EV TOU Tariff and all riders in the Reconciliation Clauses section of your bill. For more information, consult the EV TOU tariff section.
How my data will be used by LUMA and evPulse?
After you sign up for evPulse, you will be prompted to sign into your EV account to establish a connection between your vehicle and evPulse. This allows evPulse to access your vehicle data in order to enable you to have access to the full evPulse experience and program benefits.
evPulse will then securely share relevant EV data with LUMA and your EV or Charger manufacturer applications in order to facilitate participation and further improve evPulse. This data includes metrics such as charging frequency, times of charging, and whether EV charging occurred at home or away from home.
LUMA will use the information collected to analyze the customer’s charging patterns, verify how it influences the demand for electricity throughout the day, month, and seasons. This information will help LUMA to measure and verify the program’s effectiveness, and how the EV TOU Rates are helping to reduce the pressure on the Puerto Rico electric grid during peak hours. Additionally, the information collected during the pilot program informs decisions related to expansion, scalability, and future improvements for this initiative and other LUMA EV programs.
For more information on how evPulse collects, uses, and protects driver data, visit the evPulse website.
How will LUMA and evPulse protect my data?
LUMA and evPulse employ the Secure File Transfer Protocol with the most advanced encryption technologies and cybersecurity standards to securely transfer customer data between the two entities. It’s important to note that LUMA does not share or disclose any personal customer information with evPulse. Customers will only provide evPulse with the essential information necessary for the service, and evPulse is strictly prohibited from sharing any EV or personal data with third parties.
For more details see evPulse privacy policy on the evPulse website.
In Puerto Rico there are charging stations around the Island where you can charge your vehicle. To locate the stations, you can use the PlugShare.com app. This is a free online tool that will help you plan your trip and locate available charging stations in Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico Charging Stations Location Map
LUMA’s Role
It is important to note that LUMA’s role is not to purchase, own and/or operate charging infrastructure in the near-term. This is the responsibility of the service providers who specialize in Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment installation and operation, and of the Puerto Rico government agencies who have access to funding for deploying it.
LUMA’s role is to support and facilitate these market actors in ongoing infrastructure deployment projects while working to improve grid resiliency and reliability and repair critical grid infrastructure needed to support the growth of EV adoption.
Additionally, LUMA works collaboratively with local stakeholders and entities to help facilitate the interconnection of EV infrastructure by streamlining processes and serving as a trusted advisor to help Puerto Rico reach our shared goal – a more reliable, more resilient, and cleaner energy future.
Survey on the Electrification of Transportation in Puerto Rico
We are conducting a survey to better understand the needs and preferences of Puerto Rican residents regarding transportation electrification. Your input is valuable and will help shape future initiatives. This survey is anonymous, and your responses will be kept confidential.
Scan this code with your mobile phone or access the following link to participate in the Electric Vehicle survey.
