Charging cost comes down to two numbers multiplied together: your electricity rate (cents per kWh) and how many kWh you add. For most drivers charging mainly at home, this works out to noticeably less per mile than filling up with gasoline, though the exact figure depends heavily on your local electricity rate and where you charge.
A simple way to estimate it
Multiply your battery’s usable capacity in kWh by your electricity rate to estimate a full charge from empty. A 60 kWh battery at a residential rate of $0.15 per kWh, for example, would cost roughly $9 for a full charge, though few drivers charge fully from empty in practice, most top up from a partial charge overnight. For a full explanation of what kWh actually measures, see our post on what kWh is.
Home charging vs. public charging
| Charging location | Typical cost pattern |
|---|---|
| Home (Level 1 or 2) | Usually the cheapest option, priced at your normal residential electricity rate. |
| Workplace | Often free or low-cost as an employee perk, though this varies by employer. |
| Public Level 2 | Often moderate, sometimes free, sometimes a flat session fee. |
| DC fast charging | Typically the most expensive per kWh, a trade-off for the speed and convenience. |
Why your specific rate matters so much
Electricity rates vary considerably by state and utility, and some utilities offer discounted overnight or off-peak rates specifically to encourage EV charging during low-demand hours. This means the same EV can cost meaningfully different amounts to charge depending purely on where you live and when you plug in.
How this compares to a gas fill-up
The easiest way to see the savings is cost per mile rather than cost per fill-up, since EV “tank” sizes vary so much by model. Most EVs charging primarily at home land well below the per-mile cost of a comparable gas car, even accounting for occasional pricier DC fast charging on road trips. The gap narrows if you rely heavily on DC fast charging for daily driving instead of overnight home charging, which is part of why home charging access matters so much for realizing the full cost benefit.
💡 Tip: Check what electricity actually costs where you live on our EV Electricity Rates page, then estimate your own numbers with our Charging Cost Calculator.