How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
About $59 a month in 2026 for the average US driver (13,476 miles a year) charging at home at 18.34 cents per kWh, the US residential average for June 2026 (EIA): $5.29 per 100 miles and $712 a year, for a typical EV (3.47 mi/kWh). The same miles in a 25.5 mpg gas car at $4.32 per gallon cost $16.94 per 100 miles, $190 a month and $2,282 a year. In the UK, at the Ofgem cap rate, 100 miles cost £7.59. Below: the cost per 100 miles for any efficiency and tariff, monthly and yearly figures against gas, and what public charging adds, all computed by the same code as the calculator.
1. Cost per 100 miles by efficiency and electricity price
Energy for 100 miles = 100 / efficiency in mi/kWh; cost = that x the price per kWh on your bill. The US starting values (3.47 mi/kWh, $0.1834 per kWh) use 28.8 kWh per 100 miles. A small car in mild weather sits at the top of the table; a large SUV in winter at the bottom.
| Efficiency (mi/kWh) | $0.10/kWh | $0.15/kWh | $0.20/kWh | $0.25/kWh | $0.30/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 | $4.00 | $6.00 | $8.00 | $10.00 | $12.00 |
| 3 | $3.33 | $5.00 | $6.67 | $8.33 | $10.00 |
| 3.5 | $2.86 | $4.29 | $5.71 | $7.14 | $8.57 |
| 4 | $2.50 | $3.75 | $5.00 | $6.25 | $7.50 |
| 4.5 | $2.22 | $3.33 | $4.44 | $5.56 | $6.67 |
For the same 100 miles the typical gas car needs $16.94 of fuel (25.5 mpg at $4.32); the guide on what it costs to drive 100 miles has the gas, diesel and all-in figures side by side.
2. Per month and per year, home charging against gas
The US starting values for both cars: EV 3.47 mi/kWh at $0.1834 per kWh, gas car 25.5 mpg at $4.32 per gallon. Energy only: the other costs of each car are what the EV vs gas calculator asks for separately.
| Miles per month | EV per month | Gas per month | EV per year | Gas per year | Saving per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $26 | $85 | $317 | $1,016 | $699 |
| 750 | $40 | $127 | $476 | $1,524 | $1,049 |
| 1,000 | $53 | $169 | $634 | $2,032 | $1,398 |
| 1,123* | $59 | $190 | $712 | $2,282 | $1,570 |
| 1,500 | $79 | $254 | $951 | $3,049 | $2,097 |
* The average US driver: 13,476 miles a year / 12 = 1,123 a month (FHWA, Office of Highway Policy Information, Average Annual Miles per Driver by Age Group: 13,476 miles per driver per year), at 18.34 cents per kWh, the June 2026 US residential average.
At the average US distance of 13,476 miles a year the saving on energy is $1,570 a year. It scales with the miles: someone driving twice as far saves twice as much, which is why high-mileage drivers recover an EV's extra price sooner.
3. What public charging adds
The calculator blends the home price and the public price by the share of energy bought in public. US starting values: $0.1834 at home, $0.53 at a DC fast charger (Paren, Q1 2026 U.S. DC fast charging report: $0.53/kWh average excluding free chargers ($0.49 including them), 2026-09-18).
| Public share | Blended price per kWh | Cost of 100 miles | Against gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | $0.183 | $5.29 | -$11.65 |
| 25% | $0.270 | $7.78 | -$9.15 |
| 50% | $0.357 | $10.28 | -$6.66 |
| 100% | $0.530 | $15.27 | -$1.66 |
A driver who cannot charge at home and relies on fast chargers pays $15.27 per 100 miles, within $1.66 of the gas car's $16.94: the energy saving is gone. Slower public AC chargers and workplace charging usually sit between the two prices; type your own rate.
4. Sources and what is not counted
Charging losses between the wall and the battery (roughly a tenth on AC), standing charges on the electricity bill, time-of-use tariffs and the cost of a home charger are not in these figures; they are estimates for planning from public starting values, not a statement about your car or your tariff. Sources: EV efficiency, EPA Automotive Trends Report (MY2024): Tesla fleet 117.1 MPGe = 117.1 / 33.7 kWh per gallon-equivalent = 3.47 mi/kWh (17.9 kWh/100 km), used as the typical EV (2026-09-18); US home electricity, EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: U.S. residential average 18.34 cents/kWh, June 2026 (2026-09-18); US public charging, Paren, Q1 2026 U.S. DC fast charging report: $0.53/kWh average excluding free chargers ($0.49 including them) (2026-09-18); US gas car, EPA Automotive Trends Report (MY2024): real-world new-vehicle average 27.2 mpg, 1.7 mpg lower without BEVs and PHEVs = 25.5 mpg for a gas car and EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update: regular gasoline, U.S. average $4.319/gal, week of 2026-09-14 (released 2026-09-15) (2026-09-18); US yearly distance, FHWA, Office of Highway Policy Information, Average Annual Miles per Driver by Age Group: 13,476 miles per driver per year (2026-09-18); UK electricity, Ofgem energy price cap: electricity unit rate 26.32 p/kWh, Direct Debit, average across England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (was 26.11 p for 1 July to 30 September 2026; read 2026-10-01) (2026-10-01); UK public charging, Zapmap Price Index, August 2026: 77 p/kWh weighted average pay-as-you-go price on rapid and ultra-rapid (50 kW+) chargers (2026-09-18); UK petrol, European Commission COM(2024) 122, real-world fuel consumption from on-board monitoring, petrol cars registered 2021: 7.89 L/100 km (type-approval 6.38); EU figure used for the UK (about 35.8 mpg UK), no UK real-world average is published and DESNZ Weekly road fuel prices: ULSP (unleaded) 168.14 p/litre, week of 2026-09-14 (2026-09-18); UK yearly distance, DfT National Travel Survey, table NTS0901 (updated 2026-09-10): average annual mileage per car in England, 2025: 7,100 miles (petrol 6,200, diesel 8,000) (2026-09-18).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average cost to charge an EV at home in 2026?
- In the US, about $5.29 per 100 miles, $59 a month and $712 a year for the average driver's 13,476 miles, at the June 2026 residential average of 18.34 cents per kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A) in a typical EV at 3.47 mi/kWh. Your bill's price per kWh and your car's efficiency move it: table 1 covers $0.10 to $0.30 per kWh and 2.5 to 4.5 mi/kWh.
- How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home per month?
- About $59 for the average US driver (1,123 miles a month) at 18.34 cents per kWh (June 2026). Miles per month / efficiency x price per kWh. At 3.47 mi/kWh and $0.1834 per kWh (US starting values): $26 for 500 miles, $40 for 750 miles, $53 for 1,000 miles, $59 for 1,123 miles, $79 for 1,500 miles. The same miles in the 25.5 mpg gas car cost $85, $127, $169, $190, $254. Charging losses are not included; add about a tenth if your car reports consumption from the battery rather than from the wall.
- How much does it cost to charge an EV per mile at home?
- Price per kWh / miles per kWh. $0.043 per mile at 3.5 mi/kWh and $0.15, $0.071 at $0.25; with the US starting values, $0.053 per mile. The gas car at 25.5 mpg and $4.32 is $0.169 per mile. Table 1 covers 2.5 to 4.5 mi/kWh and $0.10 to $0.30 per kWh.
- How much does a full charge cost at home?
- Battery size in kWh x price per kWh, for a charge from empty to full. As a worked example, a 60 kWh battery at $0.1834 per kWh is $11.00, and at 3.47 mi/kWh it carries about 208 miles. Look up your own battery's usable capacity; most charging is a top-up, so the monthly figures above are the more useful ones.
- How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home in the UK?
- £7.59 per 100 miles at £0.2632 per kWh (Ofgem price cap, 2026-10-01) and £539 a year at 7,100 miles, against £21.35 and £1,516 of petrol at £1.681 per litre. A cheaper overnight EV tariff lowers the figure in proportion; a public rapid charger at £0.77 per kWh raises it about 2.9 times.
- Does public charging change the cost?
- Yes, a lot. US DC fast charging averages $0.53 per kWh against $0.1834 at home. Charging 25% of the energy in public takes 100 miles from $5.29 to $7.78; 50% makes it $10.28, and public only $15.27, close to the $16.94 of gas. The calculator has a field for the public share.
- Is charging at home cheaper than gas?
- On energy, with the US starting values, by $1,570 a year at 13,476 miles ($2,282 of gas against $712 of home electricity), or $7,851 over 5 years. Whether the EV is cheaper to own depends on its price, insurance and depreciation against the gas car's; the calculator has fields for the extra price and the other costs and shows the break-even. Estimates for planning, not financial advice.
More guides
- How much do you save per year with an electric car?
Energy saving of an EV over a gas car per year and over 5 years by miles driven, and how many years a dearer EV takes to pay back its price. US and UK.
- How much does it cost to drive 100 miles?
Fuel alone and the all-in cost of 100, 200 and 1,000 miles in a typical gas, diesel and electric car, US and UK, by mpg and fuel price, plus 100 miles line by line.
- How much should I charge per mile? Your real cost, US and UK
Charge at least your cost per mile: diesel and petrol fuel by mpg and price, the all-in figure by miles a year, and the IRS and HMRC rates against it. US and UK.
- How much do Uber drivers make after expenses?
Net per week and per hour after the car at several costs per mile, on a typical US and UK driver week, and the IRS mileage rate against real cost.
Last updated 2026-10-01. Cost estimates from published starting values (EPA, EIA, AAA, DESNZ, Ofgem, IRS/HMRC), each with its source and date, put through the same arithmetic as the calculators. Your car, prices and mileage move every figure. Information for planning, not financial or tax advice.