Charging Costs

What Does It Actually Cost to Charge an EV?

You hear "EVs are cheaper to run," but what does that look like in real numbers? The answer depends on where you charge. Home charging is the cheapest option by far, public fast charging costs more, and both still beat gasoline for most drivers. Here are the actual figures.

Home Charging Costs

Most EV drivers do 80-90% of their charging at home. If you have a driveway or garage, this is where the real savings happen.

Worked Example: Home Charging

Annual driving 15,000 km

Efficiency 18 kWh/100 km

Electricity price 0.25 EUR/kWh

Energy used per year 2,700 kWh

Annual cost 675 EUR/year (0.045 EUR/km)

If you have access to off-peak electricity rates (0.10-0.15 EUR/kWh), the same driving costs just 270-405 EUR per year. Most home chargers can be set to charge only during off-peak hours automatically.

A home wallbox charger costs 800-2,000 EUR to buy and install. At standard rates, that investment pays for itself within the first year of driving compared to gasoline.

Public Charging Costs

Public charging is more expensive than home charging, but it is still competitive with gasoline in most cases. Prices vary by network, speed, and location.

Public Charging Rates

AC charging (7-22 kW) 0.30-0.50 EUR/kWh

DC fast charging (50-350 kW) 0.50-0.80 EUR/kWh

15,000 km/year at DC fast rates (~0.60 EUR/kWh) ~1,620 EUR/year

If you rely entirely on DC fast charging, your annual costs are about double home charging. In practice, most drivers use a mix. Even apartment dwellers who use public AC chargers at work or at a supermarket pay closer to 800-1,000 EUR per year.

Compared to Gasoline

The same 15,000 km in a typical petrol car costs considerably more, even at today's fuel prices.

Annual Energy Cost: EV vs Gasoline (15,000 km)

EV, home charging (0.25 EUR/kWh) 675 EUR

EV, public AC mix (~0.40 EUR/kWh) 1,080 EUR

EV, DC fast only (~0.60 EUR/kWh) 1,620 EUR

Petrol car (7 L/100 km at 1.70 EUR/L) 1,785 EUR

Home charging saves you about 1,110 EUR per year compared to gasoline. Even if you only use public fast chargers, you still save about 165 EUR. The more you charge at home, the bigger the gap.

What Affects Your Charging Cost

→ Vehicle efficiency. A compact EV uses 14-16 kWh/100 km. A large SUV uses 22-26 kWh/100 km. That difference alone can double your charging bill.
→ Electricity price. Rates range from 0.10 EUR/kWh (off-peak, Nordics) to 0.40+ EUR/kWh (peak, Southern Europe). Your local rate is the single biggest variable.
→ Charging mix. The ratio of home vs. public vs. fast charging determines your blended rate. More home charging = lower average cost.
→ Driving style. Aggressive acceleration and high speeds increase consumption by 20-30%. Smooth, moderate driving keeps costs closer to the rated efficiency.
→ Climate. Cold weather increases energy use for cabin heating and battery conditioning. In winter, expect 10-30% higher consumption. See the Winter Range Guide for details.

Quick Formula

Annual cost = (km / 100) × kWh/100km × EUR/kWh

Plug in your own numbers: your annual distance, your car's rated efficiency, and your electricity rate. That gives you a realistic estimate for your situation.

Want a full breakdown including purchase price, maintenance, and depreciation? Use the TCO Calculator to compare your total EV cost against a petrol equivalent over 1-10 years.

Still getting the hang of EV charging? EVcourse is a free app with quizzes and flashcards that help you charge faster and avoid common mistakes. Pick the topics you care about and the app builds a custom quiz for you.

A note on the numbers

We are based in Finland, drive an EV through freezing winters, and have no home charger. We rely entirely on public charging. These figures reflect real research, but a few things are worth keeping in mind.

Electricity and fuel prices fluctuate. The averages used here are reasonable baselines, but your local rates may differ.
Costs vary by country. Electricity and fuel prices differ across Europe, so your actual charging costs may be higher or lower than the averages shown here.
Efficiency depends on the car. Ultra-efficient EVs (like the Hyundai Ioniq 6 at ~14 kWh/100 km) will cost less, while less efficient models will cost more.