How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car?

At present, most people are switching from fuel-powered cars to electric cars, and car manufacturing companies are increasing the production of electric vehicles almost all over the world. A lot of research is being done to make electric cars perform better at lower costs so that maintenance costs can be reduced.

But people are also confused about the battery charging costs of electric cars. People want to know how low the battery charging costs of electric cars can be compared to fuel-powered cars.

How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car?

Many factors affect the battery charging cost of any electric car. Like which country or city do you live in? Because electricity rates vary from location to location, it also matters how many miles your car drives in a month and the storage capacity of the battery.

However, to get an idea of how much battery it might cost to charge a typical electric car in the United States, the cost of charging an electric car is generally based on battery storage capacity and electric charging rates in the United States.

Level 1 chargers can cost 15 cents to 18 cents per kWh; Level 2 chargers can cost between $0.25 and $0.30 per kWh; And Level 3 chargers can cost $0.45 to $0.65 per kWh.

Looking at electricity bills, home electricity rates paid in the United States can range from 13 cents to 17 cents per kilowatt hour, depending on where you live.

This can cause your electricity rates to go up or down depending on the miles your vehicle drives per month. How many cars do you drive in a month? And how much do you charge your car battery in a month?

Note: The actual cost of charging an electric car depends on electricity rates in different cities and the time of day or night, as well as the type of charging, which can affect this cost.

Cost Of Charging An EV At Home

What do you pay to charge an electric vehicle? These charging costs vary depending on your location. This is because the cost of electricity varies from state to state.

For example, the average cost of electricity in California is about 18 cents per kilowatt hour. That means that if you charge a Nissan Leaf, With a 40 kWh battery and a full charge from 0 to 100 percent, it will cost you around $7.20, keep in mind that it can range around 150 miles depending on the battery range of the Nissan Leaf.

Those figures from the Nissan Leaf can give you an idea of how much you’ll pay weekly on a charge. If you drive about 30 miles a day, that means that a $7.20 charging Nissan Leaf battery with 20K of power will last up to 5 days. Keep in mind that this calculation is based on California home and residential electricity tariff rates.

Level 2 & Faster Charging Cost

If you prefer to use public charging for charging an electric car battery, be prepared to pay more, no matter how you pay. This may vary from one charging network to another. For example, for some charging networks, you may be charged due to state rules and restrictions on the actual cost of the charge.

And how long does your charging take instead of paying the cost of electricity over multiple charging networks. Based on that, the cost of charging the electric car battery can be calculated. You can expect to pay up to 30 cents per kilowatt hour for charging an EV on the public charging network in California.

And up to 40 cents can be charged on a kilowatt hour or dc fast charge on a public level 2 charger. Using a Nissan Leaf as an example, a full charge of a 40 kWh battery from 0 to 100 percent can cost you around $12 to $16 for a full charge.

How You Can Reduce Your Charging Cost?

You can cut down on your charging costs by following these steps.

1. Opportunities To Charge For Free

Usually hotels, resorts and luxury venues provide complimentary perks to their customers and guests. Thus if you ever go on a long trip or stay for some time in a resort or luxury hotel, these places provide free charging facilities. Thus you can reduce the charging cost of your electric car to a great extent.

2. Set Charging Time

Scheduling your charging time can affect charging costs to a great extent. Whenever electricity rates are cheap in your state, For this, you can check the electricity bill payment. Because utility companies encourage users to use their power,.

When demand on the grid is low, you are offered a lower rate per kilowatt hour. Often, there are off-peak hours, usually during the night. So if you set your own schedule, you can save a lot of money by charging the electric car battery at night instead of during the day.

3. At Least Use Dead Brakes

Use regenerative braking as much as possible while running off your battery. Because with regenerative braking, you are able to draw power from the movement of the wheels and transfer it back to the battery, which gives you a slightly longer distance and this also helps your car’s brake pads last longer.

4. Avoid Rapid Acceleration

When you accelerate rapidly, the car’s electric motor draws more power from the battery, causing the battery’s charge storage to deplete very quickly. So avoid rapid acceleration for optimal performance of the electric car battery.

Types Of EV Charging Station Network & Charging Cost

There are three main types of charging networks for charging the batteries of electric vehicles. These different charging networks have different charging times and charging charges.

1. Level 1 Charging: 120-Volt

The slowest type of charger It may take a full 24 hours for your car to be fully charged. You can use this type of charge to charge your car battery at home. In Level 1 charging networks, you will be required to pay the charging cost based on the tariff rates for your state’s electricity.

For example, the average cost of electricity in California is around 15 cents to 18 cents per kilowatt hour, and a full charge of a 40 kWh battery will cost up to $7.20.

2. Level 2 Charging: 208-Volt to 240-Volt

Chargers in this category give you a charge of up to 28 mph. Level 2 costs between $1 and $5 per hour. But chargers in this category provide faster charging in less time.

Due to this, time savings are possible. These types of charging stations are usually found at shopping centers, although most are easily found in other public places.

3. Level 3 Charging: (DC Fast Charge & Supercharging)

Also known as a direct-current fast charger (DCFC), Level 3 chargers are the fastest. They can charge your battery almost completely in about an hour and will cost between $8 and $25 per charge. These costs depend on the kilowatt-hour storage capacity of your vehicle’s battery.

FAQ’S

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about electric car battery charging costs.