Home vs Public EV Charging Costs: How the Difference Works

Charging an EV at home costs the price of the electricity you buy from your utility; charging in public costs whatever the station operator charges, which may be priced differently and is not set by the EPA or the EIA. The method is the same either way: energy used times price per kilowatt-hour. This guide covers the concepts and points to the official sources for current prices, rather than quoting prices that change.

Key takeaways

• Home cost = kWh used x your residential price per kWh. The EIA publishes average residential prices by state.
• Public cost depends on the network and the pricing method it uses, so check the price shown at the charger or app.
• Charging level changes speed, not the energy a mile takes. Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast charging are the three levels.
• The EPA’s kWh per 100 miles includes charging losses, so it is a sound base for cost estimates.

The three charging levels

According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC):

Level	Power source	Approximate range added
AC Level 1	120 V AC plug	About 5 miles per hour
AC Level 2	240 V (home) or 208 V (commercial)	About 25 miles per hour
DC fast charging	Direct-current equipment, up to 500 kW	About 100 to 200 or more miles per 30 minutes

The AFDC says the general public charging network uses Level 2 or DC fast charging, and that Level 1 and 2 stations are typically located where vehicles are parked for long periods, such as shopping centers, airports, hotels and government offices. As of 2023, nearly 80% of public charging ports in the United States were Level 2, and more than 20% were DC fast chargers. These rates are rules of thumb, and the vehicle and equipment decide the real speed.

What home charging costs

The AFDC explains that many EV owners can meet their daily driving needs by charging overnight with Level 1 equipment, with no additional cost or installation, provided a power outlet on a dedicated branch circuit is available near their parking location. Level 2 equipment can be installed for people with less regular schedules, longer commutes or EVs with large batteries that need more than overnight to charge. It adds that state and utility incentives may be available to help offset the cost of charging equipment, so check those with your utility.

The AFDC gives a worked example in its home charging guidance: at an electricity price of 10.7 cents per kilowatt-hour, charging an EV with a 200-mile range, assuming a fully depleted 54 kWh battery, costs about $6 for a full charge. That figure is an illustration tied to its stated price, not a current price. To do your own, multiply the battery energy you add (in kWh) by your price per kWh.

Home prices are your utility’s rates. The EIA states that residential electricity prices vary by locality with the availability of power plants and fuels, local fuel costs and pricing regulations, that they tend to peak in summer, and that most consumers pay seasonal averages rather than daily fluctuations. Some utilities offer residential time-of-use rates or other rate incentives. The EIA’s Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A lists average residential prices by state, in cents per kilowatt-hour, and our fuel cost by state pages use EIA residential electricity prices.

What public charging costs

Public prices are set by the owner or network, not by a federal source, and the AFDC page on public charging does not publish a price list. Pricing structures vary by network, so check whether the charger bills per kWh, per minute or per session, and whether a membership changes the rate. The unit matters: under a per-minute rate, a vehicle that charges more slowly pays more per kWh for the same energy. Look at the screen or app before you plug in, and compare using the same unit as home: cost per kWh. For station locations, the AFDC maintains a station locator.

Computing either

Use this three-step method for any charging session or month:

1. Find kWh used: the vehicle’s kWh per 100 miles x miles / 100, or the figure on the charger’s receipt.
2. Multiply by the price per kWh shown for that session or on your bill.
3. Divide by miles driven to get cost per mile if you want to compare with gasoline: gallons per 100 miles x gas price / 100.

For a 30 kWh per 100 mile vehicle, each 1 cent per kWh of price is 0.3 cents per mile. See kWh per 100 miles and EV efficiency for the efficiency side.

Charging losses and efficiency

EPA’s EV values include charging losses and assume Level 2 AC charging. Your own meter can read higher or lower than the label implies, and fueleconomy.gov notes that cold weather reduces EV range and efficiency. See EV range explained.

Using the site’s tools

The EV vs gas calculator compares costs using your electricity price, and the EV section and charging cost by state pages show state residential prices with their data period. How annual fuel cost is calculated lays out the full formula, and hybrid vs plug-in hybrid vs EV compares what each powertrain needs.