How much does it cost to run a Level 2 EV charger?
A Level 2 EV charger drawing 7,200 watts, used 2 hours a day, uses about 14.40 kWh per day and costs about $2.77 per day, $84.42 per month, and $1,012.31 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.3¢/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
A Level 2 home charger typically delivers 7.2 kW, adding roughly 25-30 miles of range per hour. Because you're buying a known quantity of energy, EV charging cost is unusually predictable: it's essentially your car's kWh-per-mile times your rate. Most drivers charge a few hours a night rather than continuously.
Cost at different daily usage
Same Level 2 EV charger at 7,200 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.3¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h/day | 7.20 kWh | $1.39 | $42.21 | $506.15 |
| 2 h/day | 14.40 kWh | $2.77 | $84.42 | $1,012.31 |
| 3 h/day | 21.60 kWh | $4.16 | $126.64 | $1,518.46 |
| 4 h/day | 28.80 kWh | $5.55 | $168.85 | $2,024.61 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 2 h/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 3,800 W | 7.60 kWh | $1.46 | $44.56 |
| Typical | 7,200 W | 14.40 kWh | $2.77 | $84.42 |
| High-draw model | 11,500 W | 23.00 kWh | $4.43 | $134.84 |
Cost by state
A Level 2 EV charger at 7,200 W for 2 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.4¢ | $2.36 | $71.89 | $861.98 |
| Alaska | 28.8¢ | $4.15 | $126.37 | $1,515.30 |
| Arizona | 15.4¢ | $2.21 | $67.42 | $808.37 |
| Arkansas | 14.3¢ | $2.06 | $62.81 | $753.18 |
| California | 33.6¢ | $4.84 | $147.32 | $1,766.54 |
| Colorado | 17.0¢ | $2.45 | $74.52 | $893.52 |
| Connecticut | 24.2¢ | $3.48 | $105.90 | $1,269.85 |
| Delaware | 18.5¢ | $2.66 | $81.00 | $971.31 |
| District of Columbia | 25.2¢ | $3.63 | $110.50 | $1,325.04 |
| Florida | 15.0¢ | $2.16 | $65.88 | $789.98 |
| Georgia | 16.3¢ | $2.34 | $71.32 | $855.15 |
| Hawaii | 48.0¢ | $6.91 | $210.40 | $2,522.88 |
| Idaho | 13.7¢ | $1.98 | $60.18 | $721.65 |
| Illinois | 19.2¢ | $2.77 | $84.25 | $1,010.20 |
| Indiana | 16.7¢ | $2.41 | $73.33 | $879.33 |
| Iowa | 16.0¢ | $2.30 | $70.09 | $840.43 |
| Kansas | 15.3¢ | $2.20 | $66.93 | $802.59 |
| Kentucky | 13.8¢ | $1.99 | $60.53 | $725.85 |
| Louisiana | 12.7¢ | $1.83 | $55.76 | $668.56 |
| Maine | 32.4¢ | $4.67 | $142.06 | $1,703.47 |
| Maryland | 21.4¢ | $3.08 | $93.85 | $1,125.31 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5¢ | $4.39 | $133.65 | $1,602.55 |
| Michigan | 23.1¢ | $3.32 | $101.04 | $1,211.51 |
| Minnesota | 17.4¢ | $2.51 | $76.49 | $917.17 |
| Mississippi | 14.5¢ | $2.09 | $63.73 | $764.22 |
| Missouri | 16.1¢ | $2.32 | $70.53 | $845.69 |
| Montana | 15.0¢ | $2.16 | $65.71 | $787.87 |
| Nebraska | 13.8¢ | $1.98 | $60.40 | $724.28 |
| Nevada | 12.8¢ | $1.84 | $55.98 | $671.19 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6¢ | $3.83 | $116.60 | $1,398.10 |
| New Jersey | 25.2¢ | $3.63 | $110.42 | $1,323.99 |
| New Mexico | 16.1¢ | $2.32 | $70.53 | $845.69 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $4.31 | $131.06 | $1,571.54 |
| North Carolina | 15.2¢ | $2.18 | $66.45 | $796.81 |
| North Dakota | 13.4¢ | $1.93 | $58.78 | $704.83 |
| Ohio | 19.4¢ | $2.80 | $85.26 | $1,022.29 |
| Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $2.07 | $62.90 | $754.24 |
| Oregon | 16.0¢ | $2.30 | $70.00 | $839.38 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $3.13 | $95.21 | $1,141.60 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3¢ | $4.07 | $124.01 | $1,486.92 |
| South Carolina | 15.5¢ | $2.23 | $67.81 | $813.10 |
| South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $2.21 | $67.37 | $807.85 |
| Tennessee | 13.7¢ | $1.97 | $60.10 | $720.60 |
| Texas | 15.9¢ | $2.29 | $69.61 | $834.65 |
| Utah | 13.1¢ | $1.89 | $57.51 | $689.59 |
| Vermont | 23.8¢ | $3.42 | $104.10 | $1,248.30 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $2.53 | $76.93 | $922.43 |
| Washington | 14.7¢ | $2.12 | $64.48 | $773.16 |
| West Virginia | 15.8¢ | $2.27 | $69.17 | $829.40 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1¢ | $2.74 | $83.55 | $1,001.79 |
| Wyoming | 14.4¢ | $2.07 | $62.95 | $754.76 |
How to cut the cost
- Charge overnight if your utility offers time-of-use rates — off-peak power is often half the peak price.
- Set a charge limit of 80% for daily driving; it's easier on the battery and buys only the energy you need.
- Precondition the cabin while still plugged in, so heating or cooling comes from the grid rather than the battery.
- Compare home charging against public DC fast charging — home is almost always dramatically cheaper per kWh.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.3¢/kWh.
Questions
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?
A typical EV uses about 0.3 kWh per mile, so 1,000 miles a month is roughly 300 kWh. Multiply that by your rate — the state table below shows what that works out to where you live.
Is charging at home cheaper than a public charger?
Almost always. Public DC fast charging commonly costs two to three times the residential rate per kWh, plus session fees.
How do you calculate what a Level 2 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 2 EV charger: 7,200 W × 2 h ÷ 1,000 = 14.40 kWh per day, which at 19.3¢/kWh is $2.77 per day.
How many watts does a Level 2 EV charger use?
Typically 7,200 watts, with most models falling between 3,800 and 11,500 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.