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Is It Expensive to Charge an Electric Car?

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Charge an Electric Car
Charge an Electric Car

Although the overall cost of owning an electric car is declining, a question for many drivers is how much they will have to spend at the charging station each month. What is the comparison between a gas tank and a diesel tank? Several factors can affect your answer, including where you charge your phone and what you charge it.  

Costs are Complex

It is pertinent to note that electric vehicles (E.V.s) can be charged in various ways. Your choice will determine how fast your battery will be recharged and how much money you will spend on it. There is an average cost for charging an E.V. for most people, which could include everything per kilowatt-hour for electricity from the local power grid to the price per kilowatt-hour when they plug in their car at home.

There are three levels of E.V. charging available in public areas. A Level 1 charger can take as long as a day to fully recharge a fully depleted battery, similar to how you would use a wall outlet to charge your cell phone. On the other hand, D.C. fast charging stations (DCFCs) can get you roughly an 80% charge in about half an hour. However, they come at a higher price when it comes to their use.  

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 Several factors determine how much you will have to pay. Depending on the type of E.V. charging station you use, you may be charged a fee per kilowatt-hour (kWh) or a fixed price per charge, depending on how much electricity you use. The major manufacturers of charging equipment in the U.S. and automakers such as Tesla and Ford have apps drivers can use to pay for their service. 

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There are subscription plans available for each of the apps, and some of them offer discounts for their users. You’ll also have to consider whether you have a subscription to a service such as Electrify America if you want to know how much you’ll have to pay to charge your E.V.

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As an E.V. owner who plugs in at home instead of at the office, it becomes essential to consider how much the cost of power they use to charge their vehicle will affect their utility bill. In addition to the charging infrastructure, there might also be a requirement to install a charging station, which can be an additional expense. Factors such as the efficiency with which your vehicle uses electricity, its battery capacity in kilowatt-hours, and how far you drive in a day play a role in the cost of charging an electric car at home.

The best way to charge is not necessarily the one that saves you the most money; there are many ways to do this. For the cost of setting up an electric car, what will be most important are the vehicle, the battery, and the driver’s driving habits.

Charging Stations May Vary

Charge your electric vehicle for free in some public areas. You can find a free charging station in various forms, from a wall outlet at level 1 to a standalone level 2 power station. In the majority of apps that help you locate one, it tells you how much charging capacity is available as well as the cost per kWh. 

Most free charging stations can be found near a business, such as in the parking lot of a restaurant or mall, where there might be a charge station. As a result, people can plug in a while inside the establishment and get at least some power while they’re there.

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Anyone can purchase a subscription for a discounted kWh rate at Level 2 public E.V. charging stations through the provider’s app for infrequent use or buy a pay-as-you-go rate for frequent use at Level 2. Applications help list down a charging station you use more often than others. 

However, most people are better off using the nearest station that is compatible with their vehicle when it comes to powering their truck. A charge per kWh is associated with pay-as-you-go charging, which is generally determined by what a local electricity provider charges per kWh.

Drivers charge a premium for the relative speed of Level 3 charging stations at the time of this writing, making them the most expensive. It is estimated that the average DCFC rate per kWh in California is $0.40 per kWh. As a result, it would cost $10 to recharge the same 25kWh of juice at that rate. 

Many public charging stations offer Tesla Supercharger stations and other DCFC charging stations alongside level 3 stations for users to utilize. Some E.V.s are not designed to accept these stations’ higher amounts of electricity. Therefore, be mindful of that before you connect. You will still have to pay the higher rate even if you can recharge faster.

Charging stations for EV these days offer a subscription fee if they use their apps at their stations. For example, EVgo charges a per-minute rate based on the type of plan the customer chooses and the location in the U.S. where the customer decides to charge. It should be noted that there are some companies, such as EVCS, that offer a flat monthly rate for unlimited charging (with the usual caveats in the fine print).  

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Treehugger reported that people who charge their electric cars at a public charging station in the U.S. spend an average of three to six times more than they would pay if they set them at home, according to Treehugger. 

The rate of public charging stations near people who live in an apartment complex or another form of housing with no charging infrastructure will be significant to them. They should choose those that are free where possible if they live in an apartment complex or other type of housing.  

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