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Cost to Charge an Electric Vehicle
Written by Caitlin Ritchie
Edited by Hannah Hillson
Last updated 10/19/2022
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| Description | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Charging Station | $250-$700 |
| Installation and Labor | $750-$1,500 |
| Total Cost | $1,000-$2,200 |
| Vehicle Class | ICE Fuel Cost | EV Fuel Cost | EV Fuel Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | $1,420 | $620 | $800 |
| SUV/Crossover | $1,800 | $780 | $1,020 |
| Pickup | $2,300 | $990 | $1,310 |
Electric Vehicle frequently asked questions
Yes, you can plug a Level 1 charger into a regular 120-volt outlet at home. However, Level 1 charges are very slow compared to Level 2 and 3 chargers, so it could take more than 10 hours to receive 50 miles of charge, which isn’t enough for many drivers. While the cost of a Level 2 home charging station is higher than a Level 1 charger, many consumers find it’s worth it since they’re able to get a full charge overnight.
Generally, the property owner will pay for a public charging station. For instance, if there is a public charging station available at your workplace, in most cases your company paid to install the charging station in that location. There may also be some instances where the charging network (like Chargepoint, EVgo, or Tesla) pay to install a public charging station in a specific location.
There are a variety of apps and websites available that can help you find public charging stations while you’re on the road. The Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Data Center lets you filter by state and charger type. Most charging networks, including Chargepoint, offer their own app to make it easy to find available charging stations. Another common resource is PlugShare, which lets you search for specific charger types, locations, and plan out a trip.
Calculating the total cost to own, operate, and fuel an EV can be tricky because there are so many variables that influence the cost. The Alternative Fuel Data Center offers a free vehicle cost calculator, where you can enter information about a vehicle and your driving habits in order to estimate how much it will cost to drive.