The electricity price for charging a car is greatly different from the oil price, which is determined by the time of electricity usage per day, while the oil price is adjusted according to the international crude oil price and the price adjustment window, usually fluctuating once every half month to a month. As someone who switched from a gasoline to an electric car, I gradually stopped paying attention to the price of crude oil and only focused on when was the most cost-effective time to charge my car during the day. 
It’s not a trivial matter to choose the best time to charge my car, as the price difference can be significant. For example, if I plug my car into a 7 kW charger at midnight and let it charged until 7 am the next day, the maximum price would be less than 14 yuan. However, if I charge during lunchtime or dinner time, the cost can easily double. This price difference is due solely to the time of day, and every penny counts. Therefore, I’m doing my research on the best time to charge my car.
For home chargers in Guangdong, for example, they are divided into four periods of Valley, Flat, Peak, and Super Peak, with prices ranging from 0.28 to 1.42 yuan, which is a difference of up to 5 times. So charging at the right time not only saves time, but also saves money! 
With my selected 7 kW charger, it can theoretically charge up to 49 kWh in 7 hours. Some people may worry that 7 kW will not be enough to fully charge the 90 kW battery. However, many people neglect the remaining battery life when they charge. When there is only 20% battery left, charging it up with 49 kWh can still bring the battery to 80% or more.
So be careful when someone encourages you to install a 14 kW charger with added cost. It’s unnecessary for home use unless you have two cars with high charging demands! 
## How to Charge Commercial Fast Charging Cheaply
Commercial fast charging stations are usually expensive. Just like me today, I had to charge even if it’s expensive! In addition to charging according to peak and flat electricity prices, there will be additional service fees for fast charging stations, generally between 1 and 2 yuan.
Many brands of charging stations have national subsidies, so the prices will be more affordable. The prices of State Grid or Southern Power Grid may be more expensive, which is related to their operating system. You can do some research on several charging apps or search for charging stations in the RisingAuto app. You can also enjoy more discounts in these apps.
As a matter of experience, this mindset is somewhat similar to refueling before the oil price rises. Saving money is not embarrassing~
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.