The Empire District Electric Company (Liberty)

Liberty's dedicated EV time-of-use rate is the main tool for EV owners who want to cut charging costs, but it is available only through its Residential Smart Charge Pilot rather than as an open rate any customer can pick. Enrolled participants charge on a three-period structure of off-peak, shoulder, and peak hours that is designed to make overnight charging the cheapest option. Liberty has not published a single confirmable cents-per-kWh figure for that EV pilot rate. Customers not in the pilot can instead choose the Time Choice plan, which gives a 2-cent-per-kWh credit on energy used during off-peak hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Liberty's residential offer is a subscription, not a cash rebate. Participants pay $1,000 up front, or pay $25 and sign a charger financing agreement, and Liberty reimburses up to $200 of the installation cost. The charger is utility-owned and the EV time-of-use rate is part of the package, so the rate and the equipment are enrolled together rather than stacked separately. The pilot is capped at 500 residential participants, with 25 spots reserved for income-qualified customers. Commercial customers use separate pilots aimed at public charging and at workplace or fleet sites.

Liberty here is the former Empire District Electric Company, distinct from Evergy and from Empire's natural gas business. Its electric footprint is concentrated in the Joplin area of southwest Missouri, with small adjacent slivers of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, and the Missouri Public Service Commission is the primary regulator for these programs. Because the residential EV offer is a participant-capped pilot, availability is limited and an EV owner should confirm open spots before counting on it.