Tracking Monthly Demand Charges

Your estimated utility costs are calculated on a monthly calendar basis and include three key metrics:

• Estimated Demand Charge -  Based only on your EV charging usage (not your entire facility).
• Estimated Energy Cost - The total kWh cost for the site’s EV charging sessions.
• Estimated Total - Combined estimate of demand and energy costs.
  

⚠️ Note: These estimates may not align exactly with your utility bill’s billing period.

These metrics can be found both on your Site Details and Energy pages. 

Not seeing your Estimated Utility Costs? You will need to set up your utility rates for your site. 

👉 Learn how to apply utility rates to calculate your estimated costs

Your estimated utility costs and demand charges are available for each site that has utility rates attached to them. 

These metrics are calculated based on the utility rate associated with each site, giving you insight into the operational costs of your site. 

What are Demand Charges?

Demand charges are fees from your utility based on how much power (kW) your site draws at its peak periods of usage during a billing cycle. You will only incur demand charges if your usage surpasses the limits set in your utility’s rate plan. These thresholds are defined by your utility company, and once exceeded, demand charges begin to accrue according to their rules and calculations.

In EV charging, kilowatts (kW) measure the rate at which energy is delivered to a vehicle. Even short periods of high charging activity can push you past that threshold and increase your overall costs.

💡 Think of kW like the speedometer in your car. Driving faster (using higher kW) isn’t automatically a problem — but once you exceed the “speed limit” set by your utility, additional costs kick in.

In the chart below, you can see that at 9:00 PM a charging session peaked at 51.09 kW. Let’s imagine that your utility company has set a demand threshold of 50 kW.

Here’s how the demand charge would be calculated in this scenario:

Not all demand charges work the same. Some utilities may:

• Charge for your highest recorded demand, not just the overage. 
• Add peak-hour multipliers (time-of-use).
• Use past peaks to set a minimum monthly charge.

Always review your utility’s rate plan or speak with your provider to ensure you understand how demand charges will be calculated for your site.

Reviewing Estimated Costs by Month

You can filter your Estimated Utility Costs by month to review historical data and spot trends over time.

Making the Most of Estimated Costs

Because estimates are calculated monthly, you can use these values to:

• Track your EV charging costs month‑over‑month to spot usage trends.
• Identify high‑demand periods and adjust charging schedules if needed.
• Compare with your utility bill to see how your EV charging aligns with overall charges.

These estimates are designed to give you early insight into how your EV charging contributes to monthly costs. Reviewing them alongside your official utility bill helps you confirm accuracy, identify discrepancies, and plan more effectively.

We do not provide any representation or warranty regarding decisions made based on these estimates.