How to Time Home Charging
Time the home charging for off peak hours, which are usually between 11 PM and 7 AM, since many utilities offer lower rates for off peak usage. A typical time of use rate plan has a peak rate of 25 to 40 cents per kWh during the day, a shoulder rate of 15 to 25 cents per kWh in the morning and evening, and an off peak rate of 8 to 15 cents per kWh at night. Scheduling the EV to charge during off peak hours can cut the charging cost in half. Most EVs have a built in schedule feature in the infotainment system, and most home chargers have a schedule feature in the mobile app.
Public Charging Networks
The largest public charging networks in the United States are Tesla Supercharger, EVgo, Electrify America, ChargePoint, Blink, and FLO. Tesla Supercharger is the most reliable and the most widespread, with over 2,000 stations and 25,000 stalls across the US. Tesla opened the network to non Tesla owners in 2023, and most modern EVs can charge at Superchargers with an adapter or a built in NACS port. EVgo and Electrify America are the largest CCS networks, with stations along major highways. ChargePoint and Blink are the largest Level 2 networks, with stations at shopping centers, parking garages, and workplaces. PlugShare is the most useful app for finding chargers, since it aggregates data from all the major networks.
How to Save on Public Charging
Sign up for membership plans with the major networks, since the per kWh rate is 10 to 30 percent lower for members. Tesla Supercharger membership costs 13 dollars per month for non Tesla owners and unlocks lower per kWh rates. EVgo membership is free and offers reduced rates. Electrify America Pass Plus costs 7 dollars per month and offers reduced rates. ChargePoint membership is free and offers reduced rates at participating stations. For frequent road trippers, a Tesla Supercharger membership is the most valuable, since the network is the largest and the most reliable. Avoid DC fast charging for routine charging, since the higher rates and the battery degradation are not worth the convenience for daily use.
EV vs Gas Cost Comparison
A typical gas car costs 10 to 15 cents per mile at 4 dollar per gallon gas and 30 MPG. A typical EV costs 4 to 6 cents per mile at home, which is roughly half the cost. The savings are 600 to 1,200 dollars per year for the average driver, depending on the gas price and the electricity rate. The savings are even larger for high mileage drivers and for drivers in states with cheap electricity. The break even on the higher purchase price of an EV is 4 to 7 years for most drivers, although the Inflation Reduction Act federal tax credit of up to 7,500 dollars for a qualifying new EV and 4,000 dollars for a qualifying used EV can shorten the break even significantly.
Photo: WrS.tm.pl, PUBLIC DOMAIN, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Tesla_3_charging_at_the_electric_car_charging_station_in_Tomasz%C3%B3w_Mazowiecki%2C_Ko%C5%9Bciuszki_11_Square._October_24%2C_2024.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=original)
Fazlur Rahman
