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How Much Does It Cost To Charge Your Car

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Can You Plug An Electric Car Into A Regular Outlet

How much does it cost to Charge an Electric Car?

It is possible to charge your vehicle with a regular three-pin socket. But using a dedicated EV charger will provide more power. EV home chargers deliver about 7kW power, while a standard three-pin home socket only has about 2.3kW.

If you use a dedicated EV home charger, you will get three times more charge three times faster compared to a regular three-pin socket.

When buying your EV, it will come with a charging extension specifically for charging your EV. If you dont cover too many miles per day or use your car for work, you might benefit from charging through your designated charging port. If you leave your car to charge overnight every day, you will have enough range to cover a couple of miles comfortably the next day and not experience range anxiety.

In conclusion, a regular socket at home could charge your vehicle, but it would be slow and not deliver the amount of power you might need to get started the following day.

The Cost Can Vary Significantly Depending On Where And How You Plug Into The Grid

In general, it costs less to run an electric vehicle than a comparable internal combustion-powered model. However, depending on how, where, and when you charge an EV, the cost can vary wildly. Charging an EV at home is usually the cheapest way to go, though you may incur some added costs to make the process more efficient. Depending on the type of public charging station you use, replenishing the battery on the road can either be free or surprisingly costly.

Heres what you can expect to pay to keep an electrified ride running:

What Is The Cost Of A Home

If youre regularly topping up the car battery at home, youre going to need a charging point. Its not wise to regularly rely on standard plug sockets, because electric cars are hugely power hungry. If you stick to conventional mains sockets, youll suffer from slower charging, you might overburden the homes electricity supply, and you run a higher risk of electrical fires.

The fitting of a regular 7kW charger with a tethered cable costs £949 from EDF Energy, including installation. At that output, you could fully charge a Tesla Model S in around 11 hours.

More expensive fast home-charging points are available. A 22kW model would cost £1,599 and cut the Tesla Model S charging time down to only four hours. However, not all electric cars can handle the output from these fast chargers, so be sure to check your cars specs before ordering a charging point, or you could end up throwing money away.

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Costs Of Charging An Ev At Home

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Electricity rates are subject to many factors, including the region where you live, the time of year, and even the time of day when peak charges apply. For the most part, electricity usage and costs are at their lowest late at night. Thats good news for anyone considering an EV, according to Voelcker.

While shoppers worry about access to public charging stations, they need to know that as much as 90% of electric car charging is done overnight at home, Voelcker said. The cheapest way to charge your electric car is almost always at home, overnight. Some utilities have special low rates for the overnight period when their demand is lightest.

Where you live directly impacts your electric bill. People living in Maine pay nearly double for each kWh of energy used than in states like Wyoming or Nebraska.

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Public Ev Charging Cost Calculator Uk

How much does it cost to charge an electric car on the public network? Well, you can use Zap-Maps public EV charging cost calculator to estimate the cost to fully or partially charge your electric vehicle when using the public EV charging network.

Across the UK, the public network provides invaluable additional charging support to EV drivers, as well as the opportunity to extend journey distances. Together, UK public charging networks offer a mix of slow, fast, rapid and ultra-rapid charging options.

What Is The Cost To Charge An Electric Vehicle And What Does Kwh Mean For Electric Cars

A kilowatt-hour is a measure of energy. You are charged per kilowatt-hour to charge your electric vehicle. John Voelcker, an automotive journalist and industry analyst, commented on this to Kelly Blue Book. Voelcker notes that most electric cars get between three and four miles out of each kWh. If you divide the total miles driven each month by three, you can get the amount of kWh you would use monthly. Multiply this by the cost per kWh.

For EV home charging, the math is a bit easier to guess. If you drive 540 miles a month, you will use 180 kWh. The average price of a kWh in the U.S. is $0.12/kWh. Multiple 180 kWh by $0.12, and you get $21.60 per month. Considering the range of the vehicle is usually around 200 miles per charge, charging an electric car remains to be a good deal.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average retail price of electricity is 10.59 cents/kWh as of July 2022. The cost to charge an electric car remains less expensive than the price of gas, which is $4.25 per gallon simultaneously.

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Public Level 2 Charging Costs

The cost of charging your EV with a public Level 2 EV charger can vary dramatically because every public EV charger can have different prices. For example, your company or office building may offer free EV charging stations to employers and visitors in their parking deck or parking lot.

So, in that case, your daily commute in your EV could be free! If you can charge enough to get a complete charge, you may be able to decrease your overall cost of charging since you wont need to plug in at home as much.

Public Level 2 chargers range in price from free to an hourly or per kW charge, depending on the charger and location. Keep in mind that you may also have parking charges at a parking meter or deck in addition to charging costs. Usually, you can check apps like Plugshare or ChargePoint to see the price, availability, and even the chargers status .

Image credit: ChargePoint app, public EV charger availability

Comparing Evs With Ice Vehicles

How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car: EV Charging Explained â DrivingElectric

EVs and ICE vehicles will both get you where you need to go, but there are a few key ways they differ. First and foremost: their fuel source. True to their name, EVs are powered by electricity, whereas ICE vehicles run on gasoline, which burns internally. Well explain the pros and cons of EVs compared to gas-powered cars and discuss how some popular brands vary in upfront cost.

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Electric Car Charging Point Cost By Brand

An electric car charging point costs $350 to $900 on average, depending on the brand and features. The best EV charging station brands are Juicebox Pro, Webasto TurboCord, ClipperCreek, and ChargePoint. Top features include longer cables, fast charging, programmable scheduling, durability, and an outdoor rating.

Electric Car Charging Point Cost By Brand

Brand
  • Rated for indoors and outdoors
  • Built-in thermal regulation safety feature

Charging An Electric Car: How Much Does It Cost

When you compare the cost of driving a gas-powered car one mile to the price of going the same distance in an electric vehicle, the EV almost always comes out ahead. Drivers of gas-powered cars always know gas prices because they are advertised in big numbers at every local gas station. Not as many people know the cost to use an EV charging station to fill up an EV, largely because the cost of electricity is not as prominent in peoples minds.

Yet its possible to calculate EV charging costs pretty quickly. If you dont want to dive into public charging station rates, the associated rebates and incentives, or studying your own electric bill, the Department of Energy has said the average cost for electric car charging is about 60 percent lower than the equivalent fueling costs for an internal combustion vehicle. But if youre an EV owner, or potential owner, and want to figure out a more specific number, here are three ways to calculate the cost to charge and drive electric.

This chart shows the cost to fully charge a Volkswagen ID.4 as well as the cost per mile and annual cost to charge for each state in the U.S., using average residential electricity costs and annual driving range. Well show you how we arrived at these numbers below.

Cost of Charging an Electric Vehicle

Assuming annual driving distance of 14,263 miles in a 2022 VW ID.4 Pro RWD

Average Price of Residential Electricity by State

*Cents per kWh

*Energy costs sourced from U.S. Energy Information Administration

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How Do I Install A Home Charging Station

Most EV drivers install a Level 2 home charging station so they can quickly and easily charge up at home. The station typically consists of a cord and a user-friendly dock to keep the cord clean and organized.

Much like with cell phones, the cords differ by manufacturer. Some EV models require a brand-specific charger that comes from the manufacturer, but others can be purchased from a range of home improvement stores and online retailers. Be sure to consider cord length, warranty options, and your cars specific needs when shopping for a charging station.

Part of building a new charging station is adding the electric outlet it uses. Home charging stations work best with a 240-volt outlet rather than a standard electrical outlet. While these outlets are common, most EV drivers hire a professional electrician to install one near where they park their car.

According to a 2022 J.D. Power report, these Level 2 home charging stations cost between $250 and $1,000, and the additional cost of labor to install the 240-volt outlet is about $200 to $1,000 . In some areas, there may be a government incentive available to cover a portion of these costs.

How Much Does It Cost To Charge A Tesla Model X

How Much Does it Cost to Charge an Electric Car

The Model X currently on the road comes in two trims, the Long Range and the Plaid. Both options have a 100 kWh battery. The Long Range has an EPA-estimated 360 miles of range, while the Plaid has an estimated range of 340 miles.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the current national average price of electricity for residential usage is 13.72 cents per kWh, with the lowest price of 9.43 cents in Nebraska and the highest of 37.33 cents in Hawaii. For ease of calculations, well round the national average to 14, a nice, even number.

So, how much does it cost to charge a Tesla at home? If we multiply the size of the Model X battery by the average electricity cost, we end up with about $14 total to charge your Model X battery from 0 to 100%.

However, we also have to account for the type of charging station because some chargers are more efficient than others. Level 1 and Level 2 chargers can often fluctuate between 80% to 90% efficiency, which means its taking 10% to 20% additional power to charge the battery. Lets say these chargers average about 85% efficiency, then a full charge requires 15% additional power.

Level 3 chargers are much more efficient, so we wont consider them using any additional power to charge Tesla batteries. Superchargers do, however, come at different prices. Its not uncommon to see prices of 26 cents per kWh, so well use that number for our calculations to answer how much it costs to charge a Tesla at a charging station.

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Electric Vehicle Charging Costs

Home Charging CostsThe cost to charge your electric vehicle depends on your vehicles battery size and the price of electricity where you live. Most utilities offer timeofuse rates that greatly reduce costs associated with charging a vehicle at home by charging during offpeak hours. Contact your utility to find out more.1

While electricity costs vary greatly, the average cost of electricity in California is about 16.58¢ per kilowatt hour .2 At this price point, charging a 40kWh battery with a 150mile range would cost about 4.42¢ per mile . Meanwhile, fueling a 25mpg gas vehicle at Californias average gas price of $3.11 per gallon3 would cost about 12.44¢ per mile .

Home charging costs can be offset by hosting your charger on a home charging sharing network. EV drivers can earn money by sharing their home chargers or connect with other hosts to find convenient charging on the go. For more information about how you can earn money by sharing your home charger, please see these popular sharing networks:

How Much Does It Cost To Charge Your Ev At Public Charging Stations

Its one of the first questions people ask about electric vehicles is the cost to charge electric cars. This is usually going to be the most common thing that will concern people when using public charging stations.

The cost of charging an electric car at a public charging station depends on several factors. But to ballpark it, the average cost per kWh is between $0.40 and $0.70, and you get around 3 to 4 miles for every kWh. With this in mind, the average EV vehicle could require around $30 to be fully charged. A larger vehicle may cost around $40.

These arent universal prices, so keep in mind that you could be paying more or less at any given station. The biggest variable is whether youre using a level 1, level 2 or level 3 charger.

The three main types of charging stations have obvious advantages and disadvantages:

  • Level 1 chargers

This is the most common charger to see in households, as it works in a normal home outlet. But it is a slow charging option that takes quite a few hours. Were talking about 10 to 40 hours, depending on the battery size. The main reason for this is that this charger is only 120 volts.

  • Level 2 chargers

Level 2 chargers upgrade the voltage output to 240, which accelerates your charge time to just a few hours. But the cost is also higher than with a level 1 charger, whether youre charging at a public station or installing a charging station at home. A professional at-home installation could set you back between $2500 and $3000.

Final thoughts

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How Far Can An Ev Go On One Charge

The range of your EV will depend on the make, model, and any upgrades you choose. Teslas offer some of the highest ranges on the market today. Compared to an ICE vehicle, EVs generally cant travel as far, though as EV technology continues to advance, EV ranges are getting closer to some ICEs.

Distance per charge/tank for some popular EVs and comparable vehicles

VEHICLE CATEGORY
Porsche Macan: 359 miles

How Long Do Electric Car Batteries Last

CHARGING an Electric car – How Much Does it Cost?

Experts suggest that EV batteries will typically last anywhere from 10-20 years, which is longer than most people own a vehicle and longer than most gas-powered engines last. Many EV manufacturers provide a warranty on the battery, typically for eight years and with a promise that your EV battery should still hold at least 70% capacity after eight years.

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How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Vehicle

The high gas costs we were all subject to this year has more and more people thinking about making the switch from a traditional gas-powered car to an electric car instead. Admittedly, purchasing an electric vehicle will likely come with a higher upfront cost, but you could qualify for a tax credit if you buy one.

While you’re browsing dealer websites and reworking your budget to see if you can afford an electric car, don’t forget to also account for your costs to charge its battery. While you may no longer be stopping at your local gas station and cringing at the prices at the pump, you will still have to pay to fuel your ride. What kind of costs will you be looking at for powering an electric vehicle?

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