How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV?
Charging an EV at home costs roughly $4-$6 per 100 miles driven, based on the EPA's typical rating of about 30 kWh per 100 miles and the national average residential electricity rate of around $0.17 per kWh. Fully charging a common 60-75 kWh battery from empty costs about $10-$13. A driver covering 1,000 miles a month uses around 250-350 kWh, adding roughly $40-$60 to the electric bill. Public DC fast chargers cost more, often $0.30-$0.60 per kWh, since networks charge a premium for speed. Your actual cost depends heavily on local electricity rates, which range from about 11 cents per kWh in Idaho to over 40 cents in Hawaii.
Key Takeaways
- EV efficiency is rated in kWh per 100 miles on the window sticker and at fueleconomy.
- Charging overnight on a time-of-use utility plan can cut costs 30-50% compared to peak afternoon rates; see how to save electricity at home for other rate-shifting strategies.
- Cold weather can reduce real-world EV efficiency by 20-40% versus EPA ratings, raising winter charging costs above the summer baseline.
Explanation
EV efficiency is rated in kWh per 100 miles on the window sticker and at fueleconomy.gov, the joint DOE/EPA site. A Tesla Model 3 RWD rates around 24 kWh/100mi, a Chevy Bolt around 28, and a larger SUV like the Mustang Mach-E AWD closer to 38-40. Most mainstream EVs average near 30 kWh/100mi, which is the figure worth using for a rough budget.
To estimate cost, multiply kWh/100mi by your electricity rate per kWh, then by miles driven divided by 100. At the national average of about $0.17/kWh, 30 kWh costs roughly $5.10 per 100 miles. Drive 12,000 miles a year and home charging alone runs about $600-$650 annually. A comparable gasoline sedan averaging 30 mpg would need roughly 400 gallons for the same distance, so even with gas prices swinging by season and region, the per-mile cost of home charging typically comes in well below fueling an equivalent gas car.
Most EV batteries hold 60-100 kWh of usable capacity. Charging a 75 kWh pack from near-empty to full costs about 75 kWh x $0.17, or roughly $12.75, though charging losses of 10-15% mean the wall meter typically reads a bit higher than the battery's rated capacity. Few owners charge fully from zero daily; most top off from 20-80% overnight, which uses electricity much like any other large appliance running for several hours.
Public charging changes the math. DC fast chargers from networks like Electrify America or EVgo typically bill $0.30-$0.60 per kWh, roughly double to triple home rates, because the equipment and grid connections needed for high-speed charging cost more to install and operate. Workplace or retail Level 2 charging is sometimes free or subsidized, which can meaningfully lower a household's charging costs if it replaces home sessions.
Things to Know
- Charging overnight on a time-of-use utility plan can cut costs 30-50% compared to peak afternoon rates; see how to save electricity at home for other rate-shifting strategies.
- Cold weather can reduce real-world EV efficiency by 20-40% versus EPA ratings, raising winter charging costs above the summer baseline.
- A standard 120V Level 1 outlet charges at the same per-kWh cost as any other load, but adds only 3-5 miles of range per hour, similar in draw to other plugged-in devices left running.
- Public DC fast chargers often bill per minute rather than per kWh, so a vehicle that charges slowly can end up paying more per mile than one that accepts a higher charging rate.
- Installing a home Level 2 charger typically costs $500-$2,000 for equipment and electrician labor, a one-time expense separate from the ongoing per-kWh charging cost.
- In a home with an EV, charging is often the single largest electricity use; see what uses the most electricity in a home to compare it against appliances like AC and water heaters.