How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV?

"How much does it cost to charge?" is one of the most common EV questions — and the honest answer is it depends. But with a few numbers you can estimate your real cost per mile and find easy ways to lower it.

The basic formula

Charging cost comes down to two things:

1. Price of electricity (per kWh).
2. How much energy you use (kWh), which depends on your car's efficiency.

If your car uses ~3 miles per kWh and electricity costs $0.15/kWh, then:

1 mile ≈ (1 ÷ 3) kWh × $0.15 ≈ $0.05 per mile

Driving 1,000 miles a month would cost roughly $50 in electricity at that rate.

Home charging: usually the cheapest

Residential electricity often runs $0.10–$0.30/kWh, and many utilities offer time-of-use rates with cheaper overnight pricing — sometimes under $0.10/kWh. Charging while you sleep is almost always the lowest-cost option. More in EV charging and time-of-use rates.

Public charging: convenience costs more

• Public Level 2 is often $0.20–$0.40/kWh (sometimes free at destinations).
• DC fast charging typically runs $0.30–$0.60+/kWh, reflecting the speed and infrastructure.

Some networks bill per minute instead of per kWh, which can be cheaper or more expensive depending on how fast your car charges. A slow-charging car on a per-minute plan can get an expensive surprise.

Real-world examples

Scenario	Rate	Cost to add ~150 mi (≈50 kWh)
Home, overnight	$0.10/kWh	~$5
Home, standard	$0.18/kWh	~$9
Public Level 2	$0.30/kWh	~$15
DC fast charging	$0.48/kWh	~$24

How to lower your cost per mile

• Charge at home overnight whenever possible.
• Use time-of-use rates and schedule charging for off-peak hours.
• Avoid idle fees by moving your car promptly when charging finishes.
• Compare nearby stations — prices vary a lot between networks on the same street.
• Find free charging where it exists (see free EV charging).

Comparison is your superpower

The easiest savings come from picking the cheaper of two nearby stations. ChargeScout shows pricing on station listings and factors it into the ranking, so a good-value charger rises above a pricier one when speed and availability are similar.