Have you heard about the possibility of your electric bill skyrocketing if you buy an EV? After all, you charge your EV at home every day, which can drive up the cost, right? Well, maybe. Yes, your bill could go up, but by how much? There’s no simple answer and there are many factors to consider.
How Green Are Electric Cars? | It's Complicated
Since most of us who drive do so during the day, many EV owners charge their vehicles overnight and have them fully charged in the morning. According to FuelEconomy.gov, it takes three to 12 hours to fully charge an EV battery, depending on the model of the car and how fast the charger is.
So how much power does an EV use? That depends on what kind of electric car you buy (it takes more electricity to charge an E-SUV than, say, the Mini Cooper SE, which can charge to 80 percent in around 30 minutes using a fast charger).
Charging costs also depend on electricity rates, which are not constant and depend on where you live. The good news for EV drivers is that while electricity rates fluctuate more than gas rates, the cost is much more stable over the years than gasoline. Electricity rates do not increase in the same way as gas.
