How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?

• Charging an electric vehicle (EV) battery overnight at home is usually the least expensive option.
• Gas prices fluctuate, and electricity rates vary regionally, but in most cases, it costs less per month to charge an EV than to buy gas for a traditional vehicle.
• While free options are available, public charging stations typically have fees that cost more than home charging. 

Many people ask the single biggest question about electric cars: What will I spend to charge the vehicle?

If you’re looking at an electric car versus a gas car, doing some upfront research on charging compared with gas costs will help you make an informed decision. Remember that many new EVs come with a limited amount of free charging at public stations, and charging networks typically offer subscription plans that help reduce charging fees for EV drivers who frequently use them.

To answer the question of cost, we enlisted the help of John Voelcker, a longtime automotive journalist and industry analyst specializing in electric vehicles. He’s heard every argument made for (and against) electric vehicle ownership, including recharging costs compared to traditional refueling.

You Need to Do Some Math

According to the United States Energy Information Administration, U.S. households pay an average of 17.01 cents per kWh at the time of this writing.

Let’s apply this rate to a typical electric car. This example does not take into consideration any discounts provided by your utility.

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What Is the Cost to Charge an EV in kWh?

To put this into perspective, let’s give an example. Suppose you drive about 1,207 miles per month (Americans go an average of about 14,489 miles annually). For an EV, you will use about 402 kWh in that time frame. Using the most recent U.S. household average estimate of 17.01 cents per kWh, charging an electric car at home would cost about $68.62 per month. Using a DC fast charger at a public charging station when away from home, an EV driver might pay 50 cents per kWh, or $201 for that much energy.

Is EV Charging Cheaper Than Gas?

According to AAA, the average price of gas currently hovers around $3.14 per gallon. So, filling up a 12-gallon gas tank currently costs about $37.68. Things get a little tricky because, as we all know, cars and trucks use vastly different amounts of fuel.

Let’s say you’re driving a car that brings a combined average of 30 mpg during a mix of city and highway driving. Using that same 12-gallon tank as a reference point, you’ll have 360 miles of driving range for each fill-up. If you’re driving the same 1,207 miles per month, you’ll need to refuel three times each month and spend about $113.04 ($36.60 x 3).

Again, this is only an estimate since gas prices and fuel efficiency vary. Few cars and SUVs come close to delivering a 30 mpg combined average, so our fairly conservative number-crunching in this scenario makes it clear that recharging will cost less than refueling a car. The financial gap narrows with a more fuel-efficient vehicle, but it remains.

[Editor’s Note: I drive a lot of EVs and often need to charge when I’m away from home. Since charging at home is so much more affordable, I limit my charging at pay stations to the bare minimum. I calculate how far I’ll need to drive before I can park at home again and charge to just that level plus 10% for safety rather than charging to 80% or higher. Every little bit of savings helps. — Jason Fogelson, managing editor]

Costs of Charging an EV at Home

“While shoppers worry about access to public charging stations, they need to know that as much as 90% of electric car charging is done overnight at home,” Voelcker said. “The cheapest way to charge your electric car is almost always at home, overnight. Some utilities have special low rates for the overnight period when their demand is lightest.”