Cost to charge an electric car at home, calculated

The formula

Kilowatt-hours per 100 miles, times the price per kilowatt-hour.

An electric car’s efficiency is stated in kilowatt-hours per 100 miles, the figure on its fuel economy label. The Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) gives the method: multiply that figure by your electricity price to get the cost of driving 100 miles. A car that uses 30 kWh per 100 miles, charged at 18.3¢ per kWh, costs about $5.49 per 100 miles — 5.5¢ a mile. Filling a battery works the same way: the kWh it takes, times the price.

Use your own electricity price

State averages differ by a factor of almost four.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration put the average residential electricity price at 18.31¢ per kWh in July 2026, up from 17.45¢ a year earlier. State averages ranged from 12.72¢ in Louisiana to 48.00¢ in Hawaii, with California at 33.61¢. Your own bill is the better source: divide the energy and delivery charges by the kWh billed. AFDC notes that some utilities offer time-of-use or other rates for EV owners that can make overnight charging cheaper, so ask yours. See which electricity price to use for the details.

Against gasoline at today’s prices

Per 100 miles, at 18.3¢ per kWh and $4.47 a gallon.

EIA’s average U.S. price for regular gasoline was $4.465 a gallon on September 28, 2026, $1.35 more than a year earlier.

The rows are illustrative; put your car’s label figures and your local prices into the calculator above. At Hawaii’s 48¢, the typical EV’s 100 miles costs about $14.40 — close to a 30 mpg car at the national gasoline price.

Level 1 or Level 2

The charging level changes speed more than price.

Most EV owners charge overnight at home. AFDC says many drivers cover their daily miles with the Level 1 cordset that comes with the car, plugged into a standard outlet on a dedicated circuit near where they park, at no additional cost. Level 2 equipment, at 240 volts, suits drivers with longer commutes, irregular schedules, or large batteries. It has to be installed: an electrician can tell whether the home has enough electrical capacity, permits may be required, and the National Electrical Code treats EV charging as a continuous load, covered mainly in Article 625. AFDC recommends safety-certified equipment, such as ENERGY STAR certified chargers. What you pay per kWh depends mostly on your rate and the time of day you charge, though AFDC notes the equipment affects the actual cost too.

Budget more for winter

Cold weather raises the kWh per mile.

Testing by AAA, summarized on the government’s fuel economy site, found that at 20°F an electric car’s energy efficiency can drop roughly 39% in mixed city and highway driving, and its range by 41%, with about two-thirds of the extra energy going to heat the cabin. Without the cabin heater, efficiency was only about 8% lower. Preheating the cabin while the car is still plugged into the charger, and using the seat heaters instead of the cabin heater, saves energy and range.

Get your own number

Four inputs, and where to find each.

1. Efficiency: the kWh per 100 miles on the car’s window sticker or at fueleconomy.gov, or the car’s own energy readout.
2. Price: your bill’s energy and delivery charges per kWh, or the time-of-use rate for the hours you charge.
3. Miles: a typical month from your odometer.
4. Season: raise winter estimates, especially for short trips with the heater on.

Installation, a panel upgrade, and any demand charge are separate costs; the calculator covers the electricity only. For the end of the federal purchase credits, see what changed for EV tax credits.