What does it really cost to charge an EV?

Pick a car, pick a state, set your mileage. Real EIA residential electricity rates (2026-06), real EPA efficiency ratings — no hand-waving.

Car

State

Miles per month: 1,000

Public charger premium: 2.5× home rate

Gas price: $3.10/gal (vs 30 MPG car)

Charging at home

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On public fast chargers

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Same miles in a 30 MPG gas car

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How it's calculated: cost per mile = your state's residential electricity rate × your car's EPA efficiency (kWh per 100 miles). Public fast charging typically costs a 1.5–4× premium over home rates — the default 2.5× reflects the US average.