Formula used
Monthly EV kWh = daily miles × 30.4 × EV kWh per 100 miles ÷ 100. Home and public kWh are split by the public-charging percentage, then multiplied by their per-kWh prices.
Monthly gasoline cost = daily miles × 30.4 ÷ MPG × gas price.
New owner tool
Estimate your real monthly charging cost
Compare home and public EV charging against a gasoline vehicle using the same everyday miles. Start with the defaults, then replace them with your utility rate, charger-app prices, EPA efficiency, and local gas price.
Inputs
Cost assumptions
Use cents-per-kWh as dollars, so 17¢/kWh becomes 0.17. For EV efficiency, use the EPA window-sticker or FuelEconomy.gov value in kWh per 100 miles.
Monthly estimate
EV charging total $59
Home charging $45 262.7 kWh
Public charging $14 29.2 kWh
Gasoline comparison $125 34.7 gal
Difference vs gas EV saves $66/mo $0.06/mi EV · $0.13/mi gas
At these inputs, charging costs about $59 per month versus $125 for gasoline.
Disclaimers
- Utility rates can vary by time of use, tier, taxes, riders, and local programs.
- Public charging may add session fees, parking fees, idle fees, membership discounts, or time-based billing where allowed.
- Cold weather, speed, tires, roof boxes, battery conditioning, and charger losses can change real energy use.
Next steps
Use the Home Charging Setup Tool to check whether Level 1 covers your daily miles, then read Apartment, Condo, and No-Home-Charging Plan if public charging is a regular part of the budget.
Sources consulted
- U.S. DOE AFDC, Charging Electric Vehicles at Home: EV efficiency may be measured in kWh per 100 miles; cost per mile needs electricity price and vehicle efficiency.
- U.S. DOE AFDC, Charging Electric Vehicles in Public: most EV owners charge at home, while public and workplace charging extend practical range; public charging uses Level 2 and DC fast charging.
- FuelEconomy.gov, All-Electric Vehicles and vehicle lookup: use model-specific efficiency values and recognize EV energy use varies by model and conditions.
- Utility-rate context: check your own utility tariff or EV time-of-use plan because residential price per kWh can differ sharply by state, time window, and billing tier.