October 27, 2023

How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car?

7 Min. Read

• Cost Savings with Home Charging: Home EV charging costs $6.80 for a 40 kWh battery at $0.17/kWh, translating to $0.05 per mile and annual costs of $506-$720 for 13,489 miles, compared to $1,600-$2,100 for gas vehicles, offering significant fuel savings.
• Public Charging Expenses: Public Level 2 charging costs $8-$10 for a 40 kWh battery ($0.20-$0.25/kWh), while DC fast charging ranges from $16-$24 ($0.40-$0.60/kWh), making annual costs $770-$2,300 for 13,489 miles, up to three times pricier than home charging.
• Long-Term Cost Benefits: EVs have lower maintenance costs ($4,200 over five years vs. $4,500 for gas vehicles), and state & local incentives reduce total cost of ownership.

EVs can unlock considerable cost savings compared to gas-powered vehicles in refueling and maintenance. However, the cost of charging an EV can vary based on your charging strategy.

Let’s explore the difference between home charging and public charging costs below.

Calculating Home EV Charging Costs

With 80% of EV owners charging at home, paying residential electricity rates is proving to be a cost-effective way of charging electric vehicles.

As of October 2025, the average American is paying $0.17 cents per kilowatt-hour. However, this rate can vary from $0.32 in California to as high as $0.41 in Hawaii or as low as $0.12 in the state of Washington.

How much does home EV charging cost?

Given an average electricity rate of $0.17/kWh, adding 100 kWh to an EV battery has an average cost of $17. With an average battery size of 40 kWh, a full charge costs $6.80 by recharging at home. We’ll compare this cost to public charging costs later in this article.

Charging Cost ($) = Electric Vehicle Battery Size (kWh) x Electricity Rate ($ per kWh)

EV owners can expect to get three to four miles per kWh of charge.

Depending on the make and model of your EV, the cost per mile driven generally starts at $0.05 and decreases if you have a more effective model or live in a state with lower-than-average electricity rates. EV owners who take advantage of time-of-use rates by charging during off-peak hours are able to further reduce the cost of EV charging.

On average, Americans drive 13,489 miles a year. For EV owners, this average translates into a cost of $506 to $720 with at-home charging. Depending on fuel efficiency and local fuel prices, driving 13,489 miles a year in a gas-powered car would cost around $1,600 to $2,100 a year.

Home EV Charging Installation Costs

A majority of EV owners who rely on at-home charging have purchased a Level 2 charging station, which requires installation by a certified electrician. EV charger installation cost starts at less than $1,000, but it can exceed $3,000 if an electric panel upgrade is needed. It’s possible to offset this initial cost by taking advantage of incentives, including a 30% federal tax credit and additional EV charging rebates and tax credits offered at the state, municipality, and utility levels.

Calculating Public EV Charging Costs

The public charging network in America is growing at a fast pace and now counts nearly 77,000 EV charging stations with more than 229,000 EV charging ports.

Public EV Charging Station Fees

Public EV charging is convenient when traveling, but the cost can be as much as three times higher compared to at-home charging. A full charge on a 40kW battery costs $8 to $10 for Level 2 charging and $16 to $24 for DC fast charging. A public Level 2 charging station typically costs $1 to $5 an hour, translating to $0.20 to $0.25 per kWh. For Level 3 or DC Fast Chargers, a full charge can cost anywhere from $10 to $30, which is the equivalent of $0.40 to $0.60 per kWh.

Based on the national average of 13,489 miles driven yearly, relying exclusively on public Level 2 charging stations would cost $770 to $963. If an EV driver were to exclusively rely on Fast DC charging, driving 13,489 miles a year would translate to approximately $1,540 to $2,300 a year. 

Pricing can vary a lot based on location, charging network, and the type of charger used. Local energy prices and regulations are also important factors to consider. While some businesses and municipalities offer free public charging as a perk, these free stations often have long lines and frequent outages. Relying on free public charging isn’t a viable option.

Is it cheaper to charge an EV at-home or in-public?

At-home charging remains the most affordable way to charge an EV, with a price difference of at least $0.04 per kWh, and often significantly more, when compared to public Level 2 charging. It can be as little as one-third of the cost when compared to public DC fast charging.

However, fast charging can offer a more convenient experience. Since Level 2 charging requires anywhere from four to ten hours to fully charge a battery, it’s only a viable option for charging your vehicle whenever you can leave your EV parked for several hours at a time.

According to Tom Bowen, President of Qmerit Solutions: “If you can’t afford to wait for your vehicle to charge, spending a few more cents to use a public DC fast charging station may be worth it. Public stations also expand your driving radius by giving you access to more locations where you can top off your battery and extend your travels before returning home.”

Metric	Level 2 Home Charging	Level 2 Public Charging	DC Fast Public Charging
Average Cost per kWh	$0.17	$0.20–$0.25	$0.40–$0.60
Average Cost per Charge (40 kWh)	$6.80	$8.00–$10.00	$16.00–$24.00
Annual Charging Cost (13,489 miles)	$506–$720	$770–$963	$1,540–$2,300

Calculating Long-Term EV Charging Costs

How much does it cost to charge an electric vehicle in the long term? The answer depends on your personal driving habits and charging patterns.

Daily Usage Patterns

How much money do EV drivers save? Compared to an ICE vehicle, driving an EV saves EV drivers an estimated $950 a year on fuel costs. These savings add up to a range of $6,000 to $10,000 EV drivers will realize over the lifespan of their EV. Your usage patterns and driving habits will determine how much you’re saving, how often you need to charge your EV, and whether public or home charging makes the most sense for your needs. You should consider how much you drive in a day, how far away from home you need to drive, and what kind of traffic you’re likely to encounter.

With the average American driving roughly 36 miles per day, prioritizing at-home charging makes sense for the majority of EV owners and it’s no surprise that 80% of EV drivers prefer the convenience of at-home EV charging. However, leveraging the public charging infrastructure can add to your range, allowing you to take trips that last several days and give you access to fast charging if you’re in a hurry.

Total Cost of Ownership

Since EVs have fewer moving parts, maintenance and repairs are typically cheaper. Over the years, saving on maintenance makes up for the slightly higher initial purchase price of these vehicles. You may only have to pay for new wipers, tire rotations, and brake pads. The total cost of maintenance is around $4,200 for five years, and repairs typically cost $1,700 over the same time frame.

A gas-powered vehicle costs an average of $4,500 in maintenance over a five-year timeframe, but this pricing difference could become even more important as the cost of repairs keeps increasing.

It’s worth noting that your charging habits can make maintenance costs fluctuate. For instance, living in a warm climate or relying on DC fast charging can accelerate battery degradation and cause a battery capacity loss of 3 to 9% over 50,000 miles driven. Replacing a battery is a major expense, which is why prioritizing Level 2 charging can contribute to a lower cost of ownership for EVs.

The total cost of ownership can also vary based on federal and local programs designed to support EV adoption. For instance, new owners can qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 on some EV models, and many states, utilities, and municipalities offer additional incentives to make EV ownership and charging more affordable.

Explore EV Charging Options With Qmerit

The cost of EV ownership can vary, but there are significant cost savings compared to owning a gas-powered vehicle. EV owners who rely on at-home charging tend to save even more since electricity rates can be as much as three times cheaper compared to public charging stations.

If you’re looking into EV ownership, you can calculate the cost of charging your vehicle with this formula:

Charging Cost ($) = Electric Vehicle Battery Size (kWh) x Electricity Rate ($ per kWh)

As the largest network of certified EV charger installers in North America, Qmerit is the most trusted EV charger installation partner recommended by automakers, EV charger manufacturers, utilities, businesses, and homeowners alike.

But don’t just take our word for it. Rated #1 in customer satisfaction, Qmerit’s experienced network of certified electricians has installed more than 770,000 EV charging stations in homes and businesses across the U.S. and Canada!