The cost of charging comes down to three numbers: how much energy you add, what you pay per kilowatt-hour, and how efficient your car is. Where you plug in changes the second number more than anything else.
The formula
Cost of a charge = kWh added × price per kWh.
To find the kWh, multiply your battery size by the share you add. A 60 kWh battery charged from 20% to 80% takes in 60 × 0.6 = 36 kWh.
When charging at home, some energy is lost as heat in the charger and battery, so your meter records more than the battery receives. Allow about 10%, though it varies by car, charger and temperature. Those 36 kWh cost you roughly 40 kWh at the wall.
What electricity costs in 2026
| Where you charge | Typical price per kWh | 20% to 80% on a 60 kWh battery |
|---|---|---|
| Home, US average | About 18 cents | About $7 |
| Home, cheapest states | About 12 to 13 cents | About $5 |
| Home, Hawaii | Around 50 cents | About $20 |
| Public DC fast charger, US average | About 53 cents | About $19 |
The EIA expects the average US residential rate to be about 18 cents per kWh in 2026, with states ranging from around 12 cents in the cheapest to around 50 cents in Hawaii. Charging industry data from Paren put the average DC fast charging price at 53 cents per kWh in early 2026, not counting free chargers. Prices vary by network, location, membership plan and time of day.
Cost per mile
The car’s display usually shows efficiency as kWh per 100 miles, or miles per kWh. Multiply by your price:
- A car using 28 kWh per 100 miles, charged at home at 18 cents with 10% losses: 0.28 × 1.1 × $0.18 = about 5.5 cents per mile.
- The same car on DC fast chargers at 53 cents. Public chargers bill for the energy delivered to the car, so allow little or no extra: 0.28 × $0.53 = about 15 cents per mile.
- For comparison, a 30 mpg gas car with fuel at $3.40 a gallon costs about 11 cents per mile.
The takeaway: home charging makes an EV much cheaper to run than a gas car. Relying only on DC fast chargers can make it more expensive. Most owners do the bulk of their charging at home and use fast chargers on trips.
Run your own numbers in our EV charging cost calculator. It handles battery size, charge window, efficiency, losses and both home and public prices.
Ways to pay less
- Time-of-use rates. Many utilities charge much less overnight. Schedule charging in the car or charger app.
- Network memberships. If you fast charge often, a monthly plan can cut the per-kWh price noticeably.
- Free and Level 2 chargers at workplaces, stores and hotels.
- Avoid charging to 100% at fast chargers. Charging slows sharply near full, and per-minute pricing makes that last stretch expensive.
- Watch idle fees. Many networks charge per minute once the session ends if you stay plugged in.
Track the real figure
Your actual cost depends on your mix of home and public charging, which changes with seasons and trips. In Badger’s fuel and charging log, each session is recorded in kWh with where you charged and what you paid. Badger shows average consumption per 100 miles and adds charging to your expenses, so the cost per mile is your own, not an estimate.
Common questions
How much does a full charge cost at home?
Battery size in kWh, plus about 10% for losses, times your electricity rate. A 75 kWh battery from empty at 18 cents comes to about $15, but you rarely charge from 0 to 100%.
Is fast charging bad for the battery?
Occasional fast charging is fine. Frequent fast charging, especially in heat, can speed up gradual capacity loss. Follow your manufacturer’s advice.
Why do some chargers bill by the minute?
Some states and networks price DC charging by time. Your effective price per kWh then depends on how fast your car charges, so a slow-charging car pays more.
