How much does it cost to run a Level 1 EV charger?
A Level 1 EV charger drawing 1,400 watts, used 8 hours a day, uses about 11.20 kWh per day and costs about $2.17 per day, $66.17 per month, and $793.48 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Enter your own wattage, hours, and state below for an exact figure.
Estimates only — based on typical wattages and average state rates, not your actual bill.
What drives the cost
Level 1 charging uses a standard 120-volt outlet and draws about 1,400 watts, adding roughly 3-5 miles of range per hour. It costs the same per kWh as Level 2 — energy is energy — but takes far longer, so it runs for many more hours to deliver the same charge. For low-mileage drivers it's often entirely sufficient and requires no installation.
Cost at different daily usage
Same Level 1 EV charger at 1,400 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h/day | 5.60 kWh | $1.09 | $33.09 | $396.74 |
| 8 h/day | 11.20 kWh | $2.17 | $66.17 | $793.48 |
| 12 h/day | 16.80 kWh | $3.26 | $99.26 | $1,190.22 |
| 16 h/day | 22.40 kWh | $4.35 | $132.35 | $1,586.96 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 8 h/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 1,000 W | 8.00 kWh | $1.55 | $47.27 |
| Typical | 1,400 W | 11.20 kWh | $2.17 | $66.17 |
| High-draw model | 1,900 W | 15.20 kWh | $2.95 | $89.81 |
Cost by state
A Level 1 EV charger at 1,400 W for 8 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $1.88 | $57.17 | $685.56 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $3.16 | $96.24 | $1,154.04 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $1.71 | $51.92 | $622.60 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $1.61 | $48.96 | $587.04 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $3.72 | $113.36 | $1,359.26 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $1.81 | $55.09 | $660.62 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $3.07 | $93.31 | $1,118.89 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $2.17 | $66.07 | $792.25 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $2.84 | $86.60 | $1,038.35 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $1.70 | $51.72 | $620.15 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $1.77 | $54.00 | $647.54 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $5.82 | $177.28 | $2,125.76 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $1.38 | $42.10 | $504.87 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $2.67 | $81.31 | $974.99 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $2.03 | $61.88 | $741.97 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $1.58 | $48.21 | $578.04 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $1.69 | $51.58 | $618.51 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $1.68 | $51.07 | $612.38 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $1.58 | $48.24 | $578.45 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $3.21 | $97.61 | $1,170.39 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $2.44 | $74.22 | $889.96 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $3.23 | $98.26 | $1,178.16 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $2.47 | $75.04 | $899.77 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $1.90 | $57.79 | $692.92 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $1.81 | $55.09 | $660.62 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $1.53 | $46.64 | $559.24 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $1.64 | $50.01 | $599.71 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $1.52 | $46.33 | $555.56 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $1.52 | $46.37 | $555.97 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $3.06 | $93.18 | $1,117.25 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $2.61 | $79.33 | $951.28 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $1.58 | $48.14 | $577.23 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $3.35 | $102.04 | $1,223.54 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $1.69 | $51.45 | $616.88 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $1.52 | $46.40 | $556.38 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $2.19 | $66.55 | $797.98 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $1.50 | $45.62 | $546.97 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $1.82 | $55.47 | $665.12 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $2.41 | $73.47 | $880.96 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $3.30 | $100.44 | $1,204.32 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $1.81 | $55.16 | $661.44 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $1.76 | $53.63 | $643.04 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $1.62 | $49.33 | $591.53 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $1.84 | $56.05 | $672.07 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $1.45 | $44.18 | $529.80 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $2.79 | $84.86 | $1,017.50 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $1.97 | $60.04 | $719.90 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $1.67 | $50.97 | $611.16 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $1.88 | $57.28 | $686.78 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $2.21 | $67.30 | $806.97 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $1.66 | $50.46 | $605.02 |
How to cut the cost
- Plug in every night rather than waiting for a low battery; slow charging keeps up with typical daily commutes.
- Use a dedicated circuit if possible — sharing with other loads risks nuisance breaker trips.
- Track your actual daily mileage before paying for a Level 2 install; many drivers never need one.
- Schedule charging for off-peak hours if your utility has time-of-use pricing.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Does Level 1 charging cost more than Level 2?
No. Both buy electricity at the same rate per kWh. Level 1 simply takes longer to deliver the same energy, so the cost per mile is essentially identical.
How do you calculate what a Level 1 EV charger costs to run?
Multiply its wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your electricity rate. For a Level 1 EV charger: 1,400 W × 8 h ÷ 1,000 = 11.20 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $2.17 per day.
How many watts does a Level 1 EV charger use?
Typically 1,400 watts, with most models falling between 1,000 and 1,900 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.