See roughly what it costs to charge your electric car at home and how that compares to gas. Enter your annual miles, your EV's efficiency, and your electricity rate, and this calculator estimates your yearly home charging cost — plus optional savings versus a gas car. Everything here is an estimate: U.S. residential rates vary widely by utility and season, and real cost includes charging losses this simple tool leaves out. Use your own rate from your bill for the closest figure.
Estimate, not a quoteUse your own rateCompare to gas
Advertisement
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate or sponsored links. If you use them to request a quote or buy a product, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We are not paid to recommend any specific brand or product, and we describe product and project types in general terms only.
Estimate your home charging cost
All numbers stay in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere. Rates and efficiency vary by utility, season, and driving, so treat the output as a ballpark and check your own bill.
Compare to gas (optional)
Estimated annual home charging cost
—
Energy used per year
—
Cost per mile (electric)
—
Annual home charging cost
—
Estimated annual gas cost
—
Estimated savings vs gas
—
This estimates home charging energy cost only. It ignores charging losses (you pay for a little more than reaches the battery), public fast charging, time-of-use rates, and the one-time cost of installing a Level 2 charger. Use your utility's all-in per-kWh rate for the closest figure.
Thinking about a home charger?
If you are weighing a Level 2 home charger, install cost depends mostly on your panel capacity and wire run. Get an itemized quote from a licensed electrician before you buy hardware.
This page is general information, not financial or electrical advice. Charging cost, electricity rates, and savings vary by home, utility, rate plan, vehicle, and driving. Get a professional quote and consult a licensed electrician before deciding.
How the math works
Every figure here comes straight from your inputs — here is the chain.
Energy used. Annual miles divided by 100, times your kWh per 100 miles, gives the kWh you draw per year. Most 2026 EVs land somewhere around 25 to 40 kWh per 100 miles, with larger trucks and SUVs higher.
Charging cost. That yearly kWh multiplied by your electricity rate is your estimated annual home charging cost. Published 2026 U.S. residential rates average roughly $0.16 to $0.18 per kWh but range from about $0.12 to well over $0.25 by region — so your own rate matters far more than any average.
Savings vs gas. If you add gas-car MPG and gas price, the tool estimates what those same miles would cost in fuel and subtracts the charging cost. Published comparisons often show home charging in the range of 40 to 70 percent cheaper than gas, but it swings with local prices.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in 2026?
It depends on your electricity rate, how far you drive, and how efficient your EV is. Published 2026 U.S. residential rates average roughly $0.16 to $0.18 per kWh, but range from about $0.12 in some Southern and Mountain states to over $0.25 in California, New England, and Hawaii. At an average rate, a typical EV often costs a few cents per mile to charge at home. This calculator multiplies your annual miles by your vehicle's energy use and your rate, so enter your own numbers for a realistic estimate.
How do I find my EV's efficiency in kWh per 100 miles?
Most EVs display lifetime or trip efficiency on the dashboard, often as miles per kWh or kWh per 100 miles. If your car shows miles per kWh, divide 100 by that number to get kWh per 100 miles. Many 2026 EVs land somewhere around 25 to 40 kWh per 100 miles depending on size, weather, and driving style, with larger trucks and SUVs at the higher end. Using your own observed figure gives the most accurate estimate.
Is charging at home cheaper than buying gas?
For most drivers, home charging is meaningfully cheaper than gasoline, with published 2026 comparisons often showing home charging in the range of 40 to 70 percent less than fueling a comparable gas car, though the gap depends heavily on your local electricity and gas prices. This tool compares your estimated annual home charging cost against an estimated gas cost using the gas price, gas-car MPG, and miles you enter, so the savings shown reflect your inputs, not a national average.
Does this include public charging or charger installation?
No. This calculator estimates home charging energy cost only. It does not include the one-time cost of installing a Level 2 home charger, public DC fast-charging (which is usually more expensive per kWh), charging losses, or any time-of-use rate plans that could lower your cost with off-peak charging. Treat the result as an energy-cost estimate and factor installation and your specific rate plan separately.
Why does my real charging cost differ from the estimate?
Real cost varies because of charging losses (you pay for a bit more energy than reaches the battery), seasonal efficiency changes, time-of-use pricing, and the exact rate on your bill including delivery fees and taxes. This estimate uses a flat rate and ignores losses, so your actual cost is usually a little higher. For the most accurate figure, use your utility's all-in per-kWh rate and your EV's observed efficiency.