EV charging cost calculator

How to work out what charging costs

An EV's "fuel" is kilowatt-hours, and your electric bill already shows the price of each one. Here is the math the calculator runs with its starting values: a small SUV, 900 miles a month, Level 2 charging at the U.S. average rate.

1. 1

   Find the efficiency

   Look for kWh per 100 miles on the window sticker or fueleconomy.gov. A typical small electric SUV is about 32 kWh/100 mi.

2. 2

   Multiply by your miles

   900 miles ÷ 100 × 32 = 288 kWh a month. The EPA number is measured at the wall, so charging losses are already in it.

3. 3

   Multiply by your rate

   288 kWh × 18.19¢ = $52.39 a month, or about $629 a year. That is 5.8¢ a mile.

4. 4

   Compare with gas

   A 26 mpg car needs 900 ÷ 26 = 34.6 gallons. At $4.27 a gallon that is $147.81 a month, so the EV saves about $95 a month, or $1,145 a year.

If you only know the miles per kWh your car's screen shows, switch the unit. That number is measured at the battery, so the calculator adds charging losses: about 10% for Level 2 and 15% for Level 1. On Level 1 it also adds about 6% to the EPA figure, because a 120-volt outlet wastes a bit more energy than the Level 2 setup the EPA test assumes.

Efficiency by vehicle type

Ranges are the middle half of all 2025 and 2026 model-year electric vehicles in the EPA data. Luxury and performance trims pull the ranges up, so the values we use sit near the low end, where most mainstream models land. Monthly cost assumes 900 miles at 18.19¢.

Real-world use moves around. Winter cold, sustained highway speeds, roof racks and towing can all push a car well past its label. If you have a few months of data from your car or charger app, use that.

Monthly cost by state

A small SUV (32 kWh/100 mi) driven 900 miles a month on each state's average residential rate, compared with a 26 mpg gas car at the latest weekly gas price for that state or region. Tap a state to load it.

Level 1 or Level 2?

Level 1 is the cord that comes with most EVs. It plugs into a regular 120-volt outlet and adds about 5 miles of range per hour, roughly 40 to 50 miles over a night. If you drive less than that most days, it may be all you need.

Level 2 runs on 240 volts, like a dryer, and adds about 25 miles per hour on a typical 6.6 kW unit. It refills a long commute in an hour or two, wastes a little less energy, and lets you finish inside a cheap overnight time-of-use window. The gauge above shows how much of a 10-hour night your driving needs on each.

What a Level 2 install costs

National lab estimates put a home Level 2 charger at $400 to $1,200 and the installation at $500 to $1,700. The calculator starts at $600 and $1,200. The biggest swing is distance: a charger on the garage wall next to the panel is cheap, while a 60-foot run to a driveway is not.

The other big cost is capacity. Before quoting, an electrician adds up your home's load to see whether the panel can take a new 40- or 50-amp circuit. If it can't, options include a lower-amp charger, a load-management device or a panel or service upgrade, which can cost thousands. Put that number in the "Panel upgrade" box if your quote includes one.

Hire a licensed electrician and pull a permit. The National Electrical Code treats EV charging as a continuous load, so the circuit must be rated for 125% of the charger's draw: a 40-amp charger needs a 50-amp breaker and wire to match. Outdoor units need the right enclosure rating and GFCI protection. Don't run a Level 2 charger off an extension cord or an adapter on a dryer outlet that wasn't installed for it.

The federal credit for home chargers is over for new installs: the IRS lists it for property placed in service from January 1, 2023, through June 30, 2026, and only in eligible census tracts. The federal credit for buying a new or used EV ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025. Many utilities and some states still offer charger rebates or special EV rates, so check before you buy.

Ways to pay less

• Ask about a time-of-use or EV plan. Overnight rates can be a fraction of the evening peak. Set the car or charger to start after the off-peak window opens.
• Charge at home when you can. Public DC fast chargers cost far more per kWh than most home rates. Use them for road trips, not daily driving.
• Precondition while plugged in. Heating or cooling the cabin from the wall before you leave saves range in winter and summer.
• Check your bill, not the average. State averages hide big differences between utilities. Divide your bill's energy charges by the kWh used to get your real rate.
• Don't fill to 100% daily. Many makers suggest a lower daily limit, such as 80%, for battery health. Check your manual. It doesn't change the cost per mile.

Sources and assumptions

• Electric rates: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B, residential average price, year to date through August 2026 (released October 23, 2026). U.S. average: 18.19¢ per kWh.
• Gas prices: EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, regular gasoline, week of October 26, 2026 (U.S. $4.269). States without their own EIA series use their region's price. Gas prices move weekly, so edit the box.
• EV efficiency: EPA data file from fueleconomy.gov, 647 versions of 2025 and 2026 model-year EVs, combined kWh/100 mi (25th to 75th percentile by class), downloaded October 2026.
• Gas car: model year 2024 new vehicles without plug-ins averaged 25.6 mpg real-world (EPA Automotive Trends Report, February 2026). We round to 26.
• Miles: light-duty vehicles averaged 10,787 miles in 2024, about 900 a month (FHWA Highway Statistics, Table VM-1).
• Charging speed and power: EPA, Plug-in Electric Vehicle Charging: The Basics (Level 1 about 5 miles per hour at 1.9 kW; Level 2 about 25 miles per hour at 6.6 kW).
• Charging losses: DOE estimates about 16% lost from wall to battery (Fact of the Week #1045); Idaho National Laboratory measured about 91% charging efficiency on Level 2 and 89% on Level 1 for one test car (INL, 2012). We use 90% for Level 2 and 85% for Level 1; real losses vary by car and temperature.
• Charger and install cost: NREL, The 2030 National Charging Network (2023), Table 5: residential Level 2 hardware $400–$1,200, installation $500–$1,700 per port.
• Tax credits: IRS, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit (page updated May 26, 2026) and IRS, Clean Vehicle Tax Credits (updated September 24, 2026).
• Not included: public charging, the fixed monthly part of your electric bill, maintenance, insurance and purchase price. Prices checked October 2026.

Common questions