How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
Last updated: February 2026 · 6 min read
The biggest running-cost advantage of an electric car is that you can "refuel" it in your driveway for a fraction of the price of gas. But how much exactly? It comes down to three numbers: your car’s efficiency, how far you drive, and your electricity rate. Here’s the breakdown, plus how to get your own figure.
The quick answer
A typical EV uses about 30 kWh per 100 miles. At the U.S. average rate of $0.17/kWh, that’s roughly:
- ~$5 per 100 miles — about $0.05 per mile
- ~$50 per month for an average 1,000 miles of driving
- ~$600 per year
For comparison, a 27-mpg gas car at $3.30/gallon costs about $0.12 per mile — so charging at home runs roughly a third the cost of filling up. (See the full EV vs. gas comparison.)
Cost by electricity rate
Your rate is the biggest variable. Here’s the cost to drive 100 miles in a typical 30 kWh/100 mi EV:
| Rate ($/kWh) | Per 100 miles | Per mile | Per month (1,000 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.10 | $3.00 | $0.030 | ~$30 |
| $0.15 | $4.50 | $0.045 | ~$45 |
| $0.17 (US avg) | $5.10 | $0.051 | ~$51 |
| $0.22 | $6.60 | $0.066 | ~$66 |
| $0.30 | $9.00 | $0.090 | ~$90 |
Cost by vehicle efficiency
Efficiency varies a lot between a sleek sedan and an electric truck. At $0.17/kWh:
| Vehicle type | Efficiency | Per 100 miles | Per month (1,000 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficient sedan | ~25 kWh/100 mi | ~$4.25 | ~$43 |
| Average EV | ~30 kWh/100 mi | ~$5.10 | ~$51 |
| SUV / crossover | ~38 kWh/100 mi | ~$6.46 | ~$65 |
| Electric truck | ~45 kWh/100 mi | ~$7.65 | ~$77 |
One small real-world factor: home charging loses about 10–15% to heat and charger inefficiency, so your actual bill runs slightly above these figures. The calculator below accounts for that.
Get your exact home-charging cost
Pick your EV, enter your miles and electricity rate, and see the cost per mile, per month, and per year — charging losses included.
Open the EV charging cost calculatorLevel 1 vs. Level 2 charging — does it change the cost?
Here’s a point that confuses a lot of new EV owners: the charging speed does not change the price per kWh. Electricity costs the same whether it trickles in slowly or fast. What changes is how practical home charging is:
- Level 1 (standard 120V outlet): adds only ~3–5 miles of range per hour. Fine for low-mileage drivers, but a near-empty battery can take days to fill.
- Level 2 (240V, like a dryer outlet): adds ~20–40 miles per hour, so you plug in overnight and wake up full. This is what makes home charging genuinely convenient for daily driving.
So a Level 2 charger doesn’t save you money per mile — it saves you the hassle and lets you rely on cheap home charging instead of expensive public stations.
Charging at home? Get a Level 2 charger — 20% off
A dedicated Level 2 charger tops up an EV several times faster than a standard outlet and lets you schedule overnight off-peak charging. EVDANCE makes well-priced Level 2 chargers, adapters, and cables — and kWh Lab readers save 20% sitewide with code EVD20MY.
Shop EVDANCE chargers →Two easy ways to charge for even less
- Charge on off-peak rates. Many utilities offer time-of-use plans with cheaper overnight electricity. Since most EV charging happens while you sleep, scheduling it for the off-peak window can noticeably cut the cost.
- Charge at home, not on the road. Public DC fast charging is convenient for road trips but often costs two to four times your home rate. Doing the bulk of your charging at home is where the savings live.
Home charging vs. gas, in one line
For an average driver, charging an EV at home costs roughly $50 a month versus $120+ a month for gasoline over the same miles — and that gap widens as gas prices rise. Want the full picture, including maintenance savings? Run the numbers in our EV vs. gas cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home per month?
For an average EV driven about 1,000 miles a month, roughly $40–$60 at the U.S. average rate of $0.17/kWh — about a third of what the same miles would cost in gasoline. Efficient cars cost less; electric trucks and large SUVs cost more.
Is it cheaper to charge at home or at a public station?
Home is far cheaper — usually two to four times cheaper than public DC fast charging, which carries premium pricing for the speed. Charging at home overnight is the single biggest running-cost advantage of owning an EV.
How much does one full charge cost?
It depends on battery size. A 60 kWh battery charged from empty at $0.17/kWh costs about $10 and delivers roughly 200+ miles. In practice you rarely charge from fully empty — most home charging just tops up each night.
Do I need a Level 2 charger at home?
Not strictly. A standard 120V outlet (Level 1) works but adds only about 3–5 miles of range per hour. A 240V Level 2 charger adds roughly 20–40 miles per hour, so you wake up full. The electricity costs exactly the same per kWh — Level 2 just makes home charging practical for daily driving.
How much will an EV add to my electric bill?
For typical driving, roughly $40–$60 a month. That shows up on your electric bill, but it replaces a much larger gasoline expense, and charging on overnight off-peak rates (if your utility offers them) can lower it further.