Explained: How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
Road networks are changing. Last year, electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 5.8% of new vehicle sales in the U.S., up more than two-thirds of the previous year. In comparison, gas-powered car sales fell 8% during the same period.
The drive to electrify America is quietly slipping up through the gears. Indeed, government has pledged that electric cars will make up half of all domestic car sales by 2030, powered by a network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations.
Most drivers know how much it costs to fill their car and how to estimate fuel costs depending on gas prices. But it takes more work to calculate the running costs of an EV.
The question on many potential EV drivers’ minds is: Just how much does it cost to charge an electric car? Here’s how to find the answer.
How Do You Calculate an Electric Vehicle’s Charging Cost?
The formula for calculating how much it costs to charge an electric vehicle at home is relatively straightforward. (We’ll look at charging networks in a bit.)
For the sake of demonstration, we’ll assume the car’s battery is empty and we’re boosting it to a full charge using a powerful 240-volt, level 2 charger.
Charging cost = the cost of electricity (in kilowatt-hours, kWh ) x EV battery capacity (in kWh).
We also need to factor in how quickly a car charges, known as its capacity. This capacity helps us work out the cost of each hour of charging.
Let’s look at this in a practical setting, using a Nissan Leaf. The E Tekna model has a 59 kWh battery pack with a capacity of 6.6 kWh. We also need to add in how much someone pays for electricity at home. In 2022, the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s national average price for residential electricity was 15.12 cents per kWh.
- The cost of electricity is 6.6kWh x 15.12 cents = 99.8 cents per charging hour.
- It will take around nine hours to charge the Nissan Leaf (59 kWh capacity / 6.6 kWh)
- Nine hours’ charging x 99.8 cents = 8.98.
A full battery in our Nissan Leaf has 239 miles of range. Therefore, it costs just under 37.57 for 1,000 miles of driving.
How Much Does It Cost to Drive a Gas-Powered Car?
Just like electricity, gas-powered cars have varying engine sizes and fuel efficiency. Gas also fluctuate, affecting how much it costs to drive gas-powered vehicles.
Using averages, let’s assume our example gas-powered car has a fuel efficiency of 36 miles per gallon (mpg). Next, we’ll use a 14-gallon gas tank because the average gas tank size is 12-15 gallons. We’ll drive 1,000 miles with a gas price of 3.4 per gallon.
- One full tank has an average cost of 47.6 (14 gallons x 3.4 per gallon)
- The tank will cover 504 miles (14 gallons at 36 mpg)
- Driving 1,000 miles cost a total of 94.44.
Cost of Charging an Electric Car vs. Filling up a Gas Tank
Our quick calculation, based on 1,000 miles, brought quite a difference in the cost of charging an electric car compared to filling up a gas-tank automobile.
The Nissan Leaf EV costs 37.57 to drive the selected distance, while our gas-powered car costs just under 95 for the same range.
Therefore, using current average costs, driving an EV is cheaper than a gas-powered automobile.
Charging an Electric Vehicle: The Costs
Home charging is just one of the options for EV owners. There are public EV charging stations. fast-charging ports, and even free charging ports.
Charging time, type of charger, electricity rate, and company will all affect your electric bill. Some EV owners can even use their home chargers for free. Let’s look into the growing ways to ensure electric vehicles never power down during the most challenging of road trips.
First, we need to understand the different types of electric vehicles to know how to power them.
What Are the Different Types of Electric Vehicles?
The marketplace sells four main classifications of electric vehicles.
EV or BEV: There are 100% electric-only vehicles called battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs or BEVs). These EVs need charging stations because they only run on battery power.
HEV and PHEV: There are two types of hybrid EVs. Hybrids (HEVs) don’t need charging. They run on a combustion engine and a battery that charges when drivers brake. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) also have a combustion engine and a battery but can top up the battery at charging stations.
FCEV: Hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars (FCEVs) are mainly seen in California and use carbon emission-free hydrogen as fuel rather than gasoline.
The cost of charging these different types of electric cars depends on where and how they get their power.
What Are the Different Charger Types for Electric Vehicles?
There are three types of EV chargers that electric vehicle owners use, depending on their EV model and charge point set up at home. This is important because each EV charger type has a different charging time.
Level 1 charger : These standard three-prong 120-volt chargers are the most basic charging system. Level 1 chargers plug straight into traditional American electrical outlets. Charging is slow, providing around five miles of driving range per charging hour, and it could take 30-50 hours to charge an EV fully.
Level 2 charger: These more powerful 240-volt chargers require installation in homes and workplaces by qualified electricians. An hour’s charge may bring around 25 miles of driving range. Many EV owners install Level 2 chargers, taking 4-10 hours to charge an EV fully.
Level 3 charger: These fast charging stations give 100 to 200 miles per 30 minutes of charging using direct current (DC) instead of alternating current (AC). DC fast charging is typical at public charging stations. Tesla Supercharger stations are the most famous level 3 chargers. Expect 20-60 minutes connected to a fast charger to take an empty battery to 80% capacity.
Electric cars have different types of charging ports which limit the chargers to which they can connect. Some require a connector, too. These connectors are:
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV Battery at Home?
Several factors influence the cost of charging an electric vehicle at home. These are:
- The EV’s battery size, changing how much charge it needs to reach full capacity
- Charger used: level 1 or 2, affecting how quickly the battery charges (level 3 chargers are not suitable for home installation)
- Electricity rate in kWh, altering the price paid for power used to charge the battery
- The time of day the EV charges
Texas has a deregulated energy market. and 85% of residents can shop around for the best electric deal. Many people with electric cars seek power companies offering tariffs and time-of-use incentives. These include free electricity at night or on weekends. These products often charge a relatively high electric rate during peak hours but free electricity during agreed hours.
Suppose someone has an electricity deal with free electricity between midnight and 6 am. In that case, an EV owner can charge their car overnight, ideally on a quicker Level 2 charger, and wake up to find their automobile has its full driving range available at no cost.
How Can I Compare EV Charging Costs?
Not all electric vehicles are the same when it comes to efficiency. Some travel further than others after being charged with the same amount of electricity. Ensure you buy the appropriate car for your needs.
EV efficiency comes in kilowatt-hours over 100 miles, which allows us to compare EV efficiency, similar to how we measure gas-powered cars in miles-per-gallon. The lower the kWh/miles figure, the more efficient the electric car. That’s because the car uses less electricity to complete the 100 miles.
The U.S. Department of Energy has compiled EV kWh efficiency ratings to make comparisons easier. For example, two very efficient models are the Hyundai Ioniq Electric car, whose efficiency is 25 kWh/100 miles. similar to the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus. A Ford Focus Electric achieves 31 kWh/100 miles. Some larger and older EVs run at 47 kWh/miles.
How Expensive Are Electric Vehicle Charging Stations?
A complete charge at a level 3 charging station costs around 10-30. depending on the EV model, battery charge level, and ambient temperature.
Which Companies Run EV Charge Points?
Elon Musk’s Tesla company has a network of 40,000 Tesla Supercharger points, which it says is the world’s largest charging network.
In the United States, more than 100 companies operate electric vehicle charging stations. Notable firms include ChargePoint, Nuvve, EVgo, and Volta Charging. Utilities and local governments are also investing in charge points. Expect to see more big players like Shell and Chevron getting involved.
Are There Free Electric Car Charging Stations?
The United States has a growing network of free electric vehicle charging stations. Note that there are great swathes of the nation without any free charging stations.
Websites like PlugShare and ChargeHub map free public charging stations. Remember that some workplaces provide free charging ports to employees.
However, gas nozzles are universal and will fill any gas-powered vehicle. In contrast, not every EV charges at every charging station; you must check your EV’s connector type. The United States has around 145,000 gas stations compared to 53,000 public EV charging stations.
What Are the Costs of Owning an Electric Vehicle?
We’ve seen that charging an electric vehicle is cheaper and gives more miles of range than filling up a gas-powered car at a gas station. It’s also true that EVs are becoming more popular in America as sales rise. So why hasn’t everyone traded in their combustion engine car for a battery-powered vehicle?
New EVs are more expensive than like-for-like combustion engine cars, by around 10,000 in 2021. That price gap could extend as the average price of an EV in the U.S. soared last year, up from 51,000 in 2021 to 66,000 in 2022.
Most EV owners install a Level 2 charger at home. A Tesla level 2 charger costs around 750-1,500 to install. Other Level 2 chargers cost between 500-800. or more, depending on the actual work required.
The extra costs add up, but there is help at hand. Studies show that EV drivers can save between 6,000 and 10,000 over an EV’s lifetime compared to a gas automobile’s overall costs.
Is There Financial Support to Help Buy an Electric Vehicle?
There are lots of tax credits. rebates, and other incentives to help people on their journey to owning an electric vehicle.
There is a federal EV tax credit with up to 7,500 available for people buying new EVs or up to 4,000 for used EVs. The U.S. Department of Energy has created an incentives checker on its Alternative Fuels Data Center website. EV owners may be able to get help with their home’s energy bill to help charge their electric vehicle.
locally, check for state-backed incentives on the Plug in America website.
Is It Cheaper to Charge an Electric Car at Home or a Charging Station?
Much depends on your electricity rates and charging set-up. It’s perfectly feasible to never pay to charge your electric car, depending on the model.
People with free electricity at night or on weekends may never pay for their EV charging if they always charge during the free-use periods. EV drivers with a free public charge point nearby or available at work may also never pay for their EV charging.
Similarly, homeowners with renewable energy systems like wind turbines or solar panels can charge their EVs for free if the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. Storing renewable energy in a battery storage system could help owners make the most of free energy at a time other than production.
Paid-for charging station vary, so check the price before plugging in your EV.
Are Tesla Charging Stations Free?
Tesla Superchargers are free to use for some EV owners, but not all. There are various conditions for free use, including the Tesla model and purchase year.
In general, Tesla models bought before 2017 come with free supercharging, even if the vehicle is then sold. Later models may include free supercharging, but the conditions aren’t clear, especially if the car swaps ownership.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
EV charging and EV efficiency as kWh/100 miles could soon become as typical a theme as the price of gasoline and mpg talk. Many more electric vehicles are on the road and numbers are predicted to continue rising.
“Filling up” at an electric charging station will become as natural as popping into the gas station. Drivers will get used to their EV’s driving range, and more extensive charging networks will encourage longer journeys.
Currently, an electric vehicle requires more charges to drive the same distance as the average gas-powered car needs its tank filled. However, despite that, it’s still cheaper to go that distance in an EV. There’s also help with purchase and charger installation costs available.
It’s becoming easier to compare both electric and gas-powered car efficiencies. The benefits of reduced pollution levels and cleaner air are clear when compared to running cars that use fossil fuels like oil and gasoline. Emission-free driving in EVs will have to become the new norm in the fight against climate change.
Brought to you by amigoenergy
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How much does charging an electric car cost? Is it cheaper than petrol?
There are plenty of reasons for going electric: that pesky CO2 stuff, for one thing. But there’s another incentive for making the switch other than doing your bit for the polar bears: electric car charging costs.
You see, charging an electric car has been. historically, at least. cheaper than filling up with conventional fuel. And that means over the course of electric vehicle ownership, you could save yourself a lot of money in running costs. Really.
There are, of course, a couple of important caveats: to make the numbers work, you will need to do the majority of your charging at home. This is where electricity is most affordable (even with energy costs ballooning) and some tariffs will allow you to make the most of cheaper overnight rates when demand is low.
Public charging points. including the so-called ‘Rapid’ chargers popping up at motorway service stations. tend to be a lot more expensive. And while they’re a godsend for topping up quickly on a long journey, you will be paying for the privilege. So much so that the price per mile of driving might not be that much different to that of a petrol or diesel car. Boo! Hiss!
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It also depends on the amount of driving you do. If you only venture out to the shops very occasionally or have a short, irregular commute (hello working-from-homers), then the full benefits of an electric car will be much more subtle.
But if you drive a reasonable distance every year, and you can plug your electric car into a wallbox on your driveway or in your garage, you’re onto a winner. Now all that remains is to work out exactly what the costs are. Please continue to scrolleth…
How do I work out electric car charging costs?
It’s quite easy to figure out how much charging is costing you. All you need to know is the size of the battery, the range of the car, and the unit price of the electricity per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
For argument’s sake, let’s use the Kia Niro EV as an example: the latest version of that comes with a 64.8kWh battery, and on paper it can do 285 miles on a full charge.
Also for argument’s sake, let’s say you’re charging at home and you’re paying 34 pence per kilowatt-hour for the electricity. This is based on the capped average unit price set from October 2022 until March 2023, although it varies a little by region.
That means a full charge of the Niro EV from flat will cost you 64.8 times £0.34, which is… a snip over £22. Sounds pretty tempting when the average price of a tank of fuel peaked at over £100 in June 2022.
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We must remember that the range of the Niro EV is 285 miles according to the official lab tests. In real-world driving you’ll see less than this, but the same goes for the ‘official’ fuel economy of a petrol or diesel car. on that in a bit.
Anyway, 285 miles from 64.8kWh gives us… about 4.4 miles per kilowatt-hour (Mi/kWh, or sometimes mipkWh). This unit is basically mpg for electric cars, and 4.4 is pretty good. The most efficient electric vehicles will sneak over 5.0 in the summer, while the least efficient will struggle to get above 2.0. Eep.
Right, last bit of the puzzle: if you’re getting 4.4mi/kWh and you’ve paid £0.34 for that energy, your running cost per mile is… less than eight pence. £0.077, to be exact.
How much cheaper is electric than petrol or diesel?
Okay, now let’s work out how that compares to internal combustion. And we can use the Niro again here, because there’s also a petrol version of that car. And yes, before you mention it the latest petrol Niro is hybrid as standard, but there’s no plugging in involved and all the energy powering that car ultimately comes from the fuel tank (42 litres, if you were wondering).
On paper the Niro can achieve 64.2mpg, and according to the RAC the average price of unleaded in the UK at the time of writing is 148.74 pence. There are 4.546 litres in a gallon, so one gallon costs around £6.76.
All we need to do is divide 64.2mpg by the price of a gallon and we get running costs per mile of… 9.63 pence. Which means it’s almost two pence per mile cheaper to drive the EV.
I’ll be honest, I thought the savings would be… bigger.
You’re right to feel a little aggrieved. A couple of years ago domestic electricity cost around 13-14p/kWh, so it has almost trebled, and could rise even more when the government cap on the unit price ends. The sharp increase has wiped out a big chunk of the saving EV drivers were making on their running costs, and there’s no telling when things will settle down again.
The thing to remember is that fuel have also been volatile: it wasn’t long ago that fuel was pushing £2 per litre as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a weak pound relative to the dollar and supply issues drove the price sky high. At that point EV drivers could feel pretty smug; less so now.
It looks like energy prices. whether that’s for electricity or fuel at the pumps. will continue to fluctuate for the next year or two, so sometimes the savings from going electric will be big and other times they won’t be. After then we’ll hopefully have a better idea of the long-term trend.
But previously running costs of electric vehicles were about a third. and sometimes a quarter. of their combustion engine equivalents, and that made the ownership case much stronger as purchase of EVs tended to be thousands of pounds higher. The more electricity costs, the longer it’ll take you to earn back that difference.
How much does it cost to charge in public?
That depends on which charging provider you use. Tesla drivers using the firm’s Supercharger network currently pay a peak rate of 67p/kWh, although drivers of other brands have to pay 77p. Ionity Rapid chargers will set you back 69p/kWh; Chargemaster/bp pulse chargers start from 65p/kWh for pay-as-you-go customers with no membership.
In other words, charging in public is probably twice as expensive as charging at home. So if you don’t have your own home charging unit installed and you need to rely on third party chargers, it ain’t gonna be cheaper. At least, not at the moment.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
Kurt Woock started writing for NerdWallet in 2021. Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kurt was a writer and educator for Colorado PERA, a retirement system for public employees. Before that he was a legislative editor for the Colorado General Assembly. Kurt has a B.A. in music from Valparaiso University and an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He lives in Detroit.
Chris Hutchison helped build NerdWallet’s content operation and has worked across banking, investing and taxes. He now leads a team exploring new markets. Before joining NerdWallet, he was an editor and programmer at ESPN and a copy editor at the San Jose Mercury News.
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The cost to charge an electric vehicle varies by quite a bit. How much? Adding 100 miles of range to an EV can cost between 2.50 and 35.
That wide range is due to factors including:
What you drive. Just like gas cars, some EVs are more efficient than others, which means they’ll need more or less power to travel the same distance.
What company you charge with. Public charging stations have different pricing structures. Some offer lower for a monthly fee.
When you charge. Energy fluctuate. Those estimates of 2.50 to 35 use state-level averages from November 2022. And if your utility company uses dynamic pricing, your rates are determined by the time of day you charge.
How to think about charging costs after a lifetime of using gas
If you drive a gas-powered car, you’re familiar with how many miles per gallon a car gets and the cost of a gallon of gas. The concepts behind EVs are similar, but the terms are different.
Size of the battery = size of the gas tank
The power stored in a battery is measured in kilowatt-hours, or kWh. The power needed to travel a given distance varies by vehicle, similar to how the gas mileage for a small hatchback is usually better than in a heavy pickup truck.
The total charge stored in a vehicle’s battery depends on the car. The Tesla Model S battery has a capacity of 95 kWh, while the Nissan Leaf’s is a much smaller 39 kWh. Going from empty to 100% will cost more on a higher-capacity battery, but you’ll also fill up less frequently.
Energy efficiency and energy costs
The measurement that really matters to your wallet is an electric vehicle’s efficiency, not its battery capacity or its maximum range. Comparing how much different vehicles cost to travel the same distance is a better indication of expected fueling costs than the size of a tank or the cost to charge any one battery to full.
A Tesla Model 3 traveling 100 miles will use 25kWh, and a larger Rivian will require about 50 kWh. A small SUV with a gas engine, like a Ford Escape or Toyota RAV4, will use roughly 3.7 gallons of gas to travel those 100 miles, while a gas-engine pickup truck like a Ford F150 or Toyota Tundra uses about 5 gallons of gas to do so.
Here’s what adding 100 miles of range to each vehicle type looks like in dollars: About 4 for the small EV and 8 for a larger EV (each using a home charger), 12 for a small SUV and 17 for a truck.
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MPG and MPGe
Comparing kWh with miles per gallon can seem clunky. One alternative is to look at an electric vehicle’s MPGe, or miles per gallon equivalent.
MPGe, which is tracked by the Environmental Protection Agency, represents electricity consumption as if it were gas. According to the formula, using 33.7 kWh of power is equivalent to using 1 gallon of gas. So, as an example, an electric vehicle that travels 100 miles on 33.7 kWh would have a 100 MPGe rating.
The rating isn’t perfect — in reality, different EVs use electricity at different levels of efficiency — but the estimate is still useful, allowing a person to compare an EV’s MPGe directly with a gas-powered car’s MPG. This makes shopping for EVs alongside gas vehicles and hybrids more intuitive.
Ratings in the 70s, 80s and 90s are typical. The 10 most efficient EVs, according to the agency, all had an average MPGe of at least 115, and the top spot has a rating of 140.
Examples of various charging scenarios
Comparing the cost of adding about 100 miles — regardless of the battery’s total storage capacity, or even its fuel source — allows you to evaluate the cost of different scenarios.
To a gas-powered small SUV
To a gas-powered pickup truck
Charging at home
If you’re charging at home, the cost to charge an EV depends on your electricity rates.
Rates vary based on where you live. For example, people in Utah and Washington paid less than 12 cents per kWh in 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, while those in Rhode Island and Alaska paid twice that. Even within one area, fluctuate throughout the year.
If you’re one of the more than 10 million households that use dynamic charging — which means you pay less or more for electricity during certain hours of the day — the price you pay depends on when you charge. Keep your bill lower by charging only during off-peak times. Many home chargers let you create rules about when your EV charges, much like you program a Smart thermostat.
At-home charging might require upfront hardware costs
Charging at home can be as simple as plugging a car into a standard wall outlet. This method, called Level 1 charging, transfers charge slowly — about five miles of range per hour of charging, according to the U.S. Energy Department— but it works without installing extra equipment.
Adding a Level 2 charger to your home allows you to add about 25 miles of range per hour. Equipment and installation can vary depending on location — from 2,000 to 7,000 according to the Energy Department — although local incentives can bring that figure down.
These costs don’t show up on your electric bill when you charge. But if you’re thinking about buying an electric vehicle for the first time and plan to charge at home, don’t let this expense surprise you.
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Charging stations
EV owners in the U.S. can charge their cars at home or at one of more than 130,000 ports on about 50,000 public charging stations across the country. Some people might have access to additional, semi-public charging stations, such as at their workplace.
Some public charging stations are free to use — a business might install a charger and offer free charges to customers, for example — but paying to charge an EV is the norm.
Expect to be more expensive than home charging, especially if you’re using DC fast charging, but still cheaper than using gas in most circumstances. You can add hundreds of miles of range in 15 or 20 minutes in some cases — helpful if you’re in a hurry or on a road trip. But this is where you see that can be three times what you’re paying in your garage. Like charging at home, rates might vary depending on what time of day you charge.
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Owning an EV in Washington: Charging Cost, Incentives, and
Washington has higher gas than many states, so many wouldn’t mind switching to electric vehicles. Is owning an EV in Washington state economical? Here’s what you need to know before making a move.
Washington Charging Infrastructure
How many charging stations does Washington have?
As of 2023, Washington has a little over 5,200 charging stations. Of course, with the NEVI funding, this will increase over the next five years, so expect charging stations to grow exponentially.
Types of Charging Stations
When it comes to charging your EV, you’ll need a specific charger and station. Here are the different types of chargers in Washington.
Free stations
Free stations offer Level 1, level 2, or level 3 charging, depending on your location. While most are level 1 or level 2, which are slower than level 3, you can top off 5-20 miles on your car if you’re in a hurry.
CHAdeMO Charger
You’ll likely need a CHAdeMO connector if you choose a Nissan, Mitsubishi, or Toyota vehicle. Similar to CCS connections, CHAdeMO supports quick DC charging. It’s the only charger outside of a supercharger that Tesla owners can use without an adapter.
CCS Charger
These charging plugs also provide Rapid DC charging, similar to all other connectors. However, they are compatible with more vehicles than CHAdeMO connectors. Most EVs from Polestar, Renault, Rivian, Ford, Jaguar, General Motors, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, and VW work with CCS chargers.
SAE J1772 Chargers
Also known as J Plugs in the US, these fast chargers utilize regular household outlets to charge your vehicle in 8 hours or less. However, these plugs are slowly falling out of favor, with newer cars needing adapters to connect to them.
Where are the charging stations located?
EV charging stations in Washington are spread across Seattle, Spokane, Olympia, Wenatchee, Bellingham, Bremerton, Ellensburg, Kennewick, and Port Angeles. stations are being rolled out over the next five years. No matter where you go, you should be able to find a charging station for your car.
Cost of Owning an EV in Washington
If you’re ready to join the EV frenzy and become an electric vehicle owner, your next step is to find the right car. Here’s what you need to know about owning a specific EV in Washington.
Tesla Model Y
Costing roughly 52,000, the Tesla Model Y offers a 75 kWh battery with a 300-mile range on a single charge. And it has a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup, making it easy to drive around Washington state.
Due to low charging costs, Washington is the cheapest state to own an EV. You’ll pay just 10 per KWH to charge at home and around 16 (the national average) per KWH for public charging. To juice up your car, you’ll spend anywhere from 7.50 to 12.00.
Rivian R1S
Rivian’s R1S provides a three-seater SUV for almost 30k less than Tesla SUV’s starting price. However, this vehicle will still cost you about 80,000 more than basic EV models. The 135.0 kWh lithium-ion battery pack allows it to go 321 miles on a single charge, making it a great choice for long commutes or state-to-state travel.
At just 10 per KWH for charging at home and 22 for public charging, this vehicle will run you (on average) 13.50 to 29.70 for a full charge.
Nissan Leaf
The incredible Nissan Leaf has a 212-mile maximum driving range and a 40kWh or 62kWh battery pack option. It’s also the cheapest car on this list, starting at just 27,000. So this is the perfect car for city dwellers or those who want a budget EV.
Another huge perk of the Nissan Leaf is how little you’ll spend to charge it. At-home charging costs 10 per KWH, which works out to 4.00 for a full charge. Public charging is 14 per KWH or up to 8.68.
Mustang Mach-E
If you have the cash, you can also get the popular Mustang Mach-E sports car. This dual-motor vehicle offers two lithium-ion battery sizes of 70 and 91 kWh, with the base model offering up to 312 miles of drive time on a single charge. While this is an EV, you’ll pay the “sports car” tax on insurance premiums and charging.
Charging the Mach-E at home costs 0.10 per KWH, while public charging costs 0.25. So the typical price range is between 7.00 and 22.75.
Washington Electric Vehicle Incentives
As of 2023, you can get a 2,000 rebate for purchasing an EV in the state until 2025. So act fast if you want to take advantage of this! Washington charges slightly more for registering an EV, usually around 165 a year.
Most electric vehicle owners in large cities like Tacoma will also get rebates for installing home charging stations, earning upwards of 250 depending on their city’s electric company.
Owning an EV in Washington Wrap Up
Washington is among the few states with great infrastructure and irresistible EV incentives for potential EV car owners. We expect things to improve as the state pumps more money into its EV transportation and charging infrastructure!
Breaking EV News
June 8, 2023 — Ford and General Motors (GM) EV owners will be able to use an adaptor to charge at 12,000 Tesla Superchargers starting in 2024. And at the start of 2025, both automotive companies will will feature Tesla’s North American Charging Standard connector, which will virtually ensure that it becomes the U.S. industry standard.
Owning an EV in Washington: Charging Cost, Incentives, and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Does Washington have an EV tax credit?
Yes, they have a 2,000 tax credit until 2025.
How much does it cost to license an electric car in Washington state?
Annual registration fees will cost EV owners 165.
Do you have to pay sales tax on a Tesla in Washington state?
You do not have to pay the 6.5% retail sales tax on any EVs in Washington.
Did Washington ban electric cars?
No, in fact, they’re hoping to have mostly electric cars in their state by 2030. While getting rid of a gas car isn’t mandatory, it is highly encouraged to have an EV instead in the state.
About the Author
Kim Studdard
Kim Studdard is a freelance writer from the South and transplanted in the Midwest. Her portfolio includes articles involving personal finance, dog treats and pet care, and technology, including the articles on History-Computer. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her spending time with her family and pets, reading, and completing her yearly bucket list.