The craze for electric vehicles is off the charts. However, it is highly crucial for both current and potential EV buyers to understand the various costs associated with this purchase. One of the biggest concerns the electric cars owners face is the cost of charging their vehicles. Since electric vehicles (EVs) run on electricity rather than conventional fuel, a new set of factors affect the final cost.
Today, in this article, we will take a look at variety of factors affecting the EV charging costs, compare them to regular gasoline expenditures, and discuss some helpful tips on how you can lower these costs.
So, are you ready to become an informed EV owner who is well aware of all the variables associated with their new car purchase and be able to save significant amount of money and make wiser decisions?
Understanding EV Charging Costs and Types of Chargers
There are three main types of EV chargers, namely, DC fast chargers, Level 2 chargers, and Level 1 chargers. All the electric vehicle buyers or owners should be aware about them since these options come with different charging speeds and costs.
Thus, it becomes highly crucial to know which charging option is the one you can afford easily and which one is out of your budget.
Level 1 Chargers
The level 1 chargers are the most basic type of electric vehicle chargers and generally come with built into the price of the vehicle. They can charge your ride at a rate of two to five miles per hour and can be plugged into a standard 120-volt outlet. If you desire fast charging they are not for you. However, they are a great option for overnight charging at home.
Level 2 Chargers
These EV chargers require a 240-volt plug and can charge your ride at 10 to 60 miles per hour, making it much faster than the level 1 chargers. You can easily find level 2 chargers in public charging stations, businesses, and at home. They are a better option for charging needs that happen regularly, but they come with higher upfront installation cost.
DC Fast Chargers
These chargers can charge your dear electric ride at the fastest speeds. You can easily get up to 100 miles on your car in just 20 to 30 minutes of DC fast charging. Out of the three, these ones are the most expensive.
3 Major Factors Affecting Charging Prices
Several factors affect how much it will cost to charge your electric vehicle. From its battery size, charging speed and duration, and energy rates are all at play. Thus, before you go ahead and purchase the latest electric models like Kia EV9, we recommend you understand the different factors that will affect your car charging prices.
- Electricity Rates: The cost of power varies based on where you live and the time of the day. During the off-peak hours, the utility companies generally offer lower charging rates, making the charging more affordable. So, if you wish to save money at any cost, you need to come up with a car charging time table accordingly.
- Charging Time and Speed: The charging speed and charging time make into your overall bill. Level 1 and Level 2 chargers are slower than DC chargers but are cheaper compared to the latter as they consume lot of your time. In other words, the longer your charging session, the lesser you will pay compared to the person who opt for fast charging.
- Battery Capacity: Another factor on which your charging cost depends is the battery capacity. The bigger the battery, the more it will cost to charge it fully. However, the larger batteries give you more driving range, eliminating the additional charging expense as a burden.
Comparing the Mile-Per-Cost of Charging Conventional and Electric Vehicles

One of the biggest factors on which electric cars are compared to the traditional cars is cost of fueling them. As both vehicles run on different kinds of power sources, it is better to compare their cost per mile. When you compare how much it costs to charge an EV to a regular car, sometimes it may be cheaper to fill up a gas tank than to fully charge an EV.
Average Costs to Charge an EV
The cost to charge an electric vehicle depends on how efficient it is and how much energy costs at the time. The average cost of an EV mile may be anywhere from $0.05 to $0.03, depending on the type of EV and the price of energy in the area.
Average Costs to fill up Gasoline
On the other hand, the average cost per mile for cars that run on gasoline is between $0.10 and $0.15, based on how well they use gas on average and the price of gasoline right now.
Long-Term Savings
Due to lower fuel costs, the electric cars owners may be able to save a lot of money on fuel over time. However, it is not the only reason why proud EV owners will be able fill up their pockets.
Savings on Maintenance
Electric vehicles need less care compared to regular cars. It is because they don’t fluid changes and have fewer moving parts. On daily basis you will be saving a lot which throughout your vehicle’s life will turn into a significant amount.
Refund and Incentives From The Government
Many governments offer rebates and incentives to their citizens who buy electric cars and set up charging stations at home. Because of these tax breaks, the price of buying and maintaining an EV might go down.
How to Charge Your EV During Off-Peak Hours to Cut Down on Cost?

Charging your electric vehicle (EV) during off-peak hours, when power is cheaper, is one of the easiest ways to save money on charging.
The term “off-peak hours” refers to the times when the least amount of people are using energy. These times are generally late at night or early in the morning. A number of utility companies offer higher rates during peak hours to get people to use less energy during these times.
Advantages of Off-Peak Charging
If you charge your electric vehicle (EV) during off-peak hours, when power rates are lower, you may save a lot of money on your total charging costs. Planning your charging sessions for off-peak hours will help keep the demand on the power source even, making the system more reliable and efficient.
Network-Based Public Charging
The “Network-Based Public Charging” refers to the electric vehicle charging stations that are a part of a larger and connected network managed by a central system.
These car charging stations are accessible to public and offer various features and benefits that are basically managed and monitored through a network. Tesla Supercharger Network, ChargePoint, and Electrify America are some of the popular examples.
Public charging networks may also save money for EV owners
Many public charging networks have membership plans that offer discounts to the customers who use them often. You might save money in the long run if you join a membership plan that gives you access to lower billing rates.
Some public places, like shopping malls and workplaces, offer free EV charging stations to customers or workers. Try these ways to charge for free to lower the total cost of your charging experience and save of charging.
Initial Setup Fees Home vs. Public Charging
When buying an EV it is crucial you compare the cost of setting up a charger at home versus charging your ride every time at a public place network. If you decide to set up a home charging station, generally the Level 2 charger are the ideal one. Well, whichever type of charger you choose, professional installation is the only way.
This task could easily cost you anywhere from $500 to $2,000 based on the type of charger you choose and how much is the installation work. The installation cost of personal home charging station is pricey, however, it will save you a lot in the long run.
In general, using an energy-efficient gadget at home costs less than charging your ride at a public station. The prices may be very different based on the area and network. At some stations, you can be charged by the minute, the kilowatt-hour, or a set amount per session. It might be helpful to use public chargers, especially when traveling long distances, even if it costs more in the long run than charging at home.
Convenience and Accessibility
The best things about both public and home charging choices are that they are easy to get to and convenient.
Convenience of Home Charging
As the EV owner you can be sure that your ride will be fully charged in the morning if you use a home charger for overnight charging. This can save you time and effort because you won’t have to go to public charging stations as often.
Accessibility of Public Charging Networks
As public charging networks are quickly growing, you will have more choices for charging stations that are easy to get to. It’s easy to charge your electric car while running errands or traveling long distances because these charging stations are usually put in convenient places, like along roads and in cities. Fast chargers, which cut down on the time it takes to charge, make these stations even more useful.
Prospects for Trends in EV Charging Costs and Advancements in Technology
Many different technological advances that hope to lower costs, speed up charging, and make charging more efficient are expected to have an effect on the costs of charging electric vehicles in the future.
Faster and More Efficient Chargers
As technology improves, faster and more powerful chargers are being made. These enhancements could make charging EVs faster and cheaper, which would make them more appealing to a wider range of buyers.
Wireless Charging
Wireless charging technology is an interesting new development in the world of electric cars. This technology makes it possible to charge electric automobiles without using physical cables. This is more convenient way and could help you save money on maintenance costs.
Wireless charging for cars is still in its early stages, but if a lot of people use it, it could lower the cost of charging and make the whole experience better for EV users.
Effects of Market and Policy
EV charging prices are mostly likely change in the future based on government rules and industry trends. So, you can not buy the ride of the future thinking you will be paying the current market car charging prices for the rest of your life.
Government laws and regulations
Many countries around the world are passing laws and rules to encourage people to use electric cars. Some of them are infrastructure funding for charging stations, financial incentives, and stricter rules on how much pollution regular cars can put out.
These kinds of programs could make it cheaper to buy and charge electric vehicles, which would make them easier for more people to get.
Market Trends and Competition
As the demand for electric cars is rising, so does the competition between companies that make EVs and companies that offer charging services. Customers are more likely to gain from this competition because it will bring new, creative, and cheap billing ways to the market. If more companies join the market, there may be more competition, which could make prices go down and services get better.
To sum up
One of the most important parts of owning an automobile is controlling the expenses related to charging an electric vehicle. EV owners may make well-informed decisions that save them a substantial amount of money if they are aware of the many types of chargers that are available, the variables that effect charging costs, and how these compare to traditional petrol expenses.
Further cost savings may be achieved by employing techniques like charging during off-peak hours and making use of public charging networks. EV users can also maximize their charging habits by keeping up of emerging trends and technological breakthroughs. Ultimately, the advantages of owning an electric automobile may very well exceed the disadvantages with proper preparation and wise decisions.