Everyone says electric cars are cheap to run. But when you’re about to buy a used EV, you want real numbers — not vague promises. How much will your electricity bill actually go up? What does a full charge cost? And does it genuinely beat filling up a petrol car?
The short answer: yes, home charging is significantly cheaper than petrol — often by hundreds of dollars per year. But your actual cost depends on a few key factors, and understanding them will help you estimate your own bill in about five minutes.
This guide breaks down the real cost to charge a used electric car at home, with actual numbers, simple formulas, and honest comparisons.
Average Cost to Charge a Used Electric Car at Home
Before getting into the variables, here are the ballpark figures most drivers see:
| Metric | US (USD) | UK (GBP) | Canada (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per kWh | $0.13–$0.17 | £0.22–£0.28 | $0.10–$0.18 |
| Full charge (avg) | $7–$18 | £4–£15 | $6–$16 |
| Monthly cost | $30–$65 | £20–£55 | $25–$60 |
| Annual cost | $350–$800 | £250–£600 | $300–$700 |
These figures assume regular daily driving (around 30–40 miles/day) and home charging as your primary source — which is how about 80–90% of EV drivers actually charge.
Cost per kWh — The Key Number
Your electricity rate, measured in cost per kWh, is the single most important number in this whole calculation. In the US, the national average sits around $0.13–$0.17 per kWh. The UK average is roughly £0.22–£0.28 per kWh. In Canada, it varies widely by province — from about $0.10 in Quebec to $0.18 in Ontario.
Check your most recent electricity bill to find your exact rate. It’s usually listed as a “unit rate” or “energy charge per kWh.” That number is your starting point for everything below.
Cost per Full Charge
Once you know your electricity rate, calculating a full charge is simple:
A used Nissan Leaf with a 40 kWh battery at $0.15/kWh costs around $6 for a full charge. A used Tesla Model 3 with a 75 kWh battery at the same rate costs around $11.25. Simple.
Monthly and Yearly Cost
The monthly cost depends on how much you drive. A useful estimate: if you drive 1,000 miles per month and your EV gets around 3–4 miles per kWh, you’re using roughly 250–333 kWh per month. At $0.15/kWh, that’s $37–$50 per month — or under $600 per year.
Factors That Affect Charging Cost
Your actual bill will land above or below that average based on four main variables. Here’s what matters and why.
Electricity Rates
This is the biggest lever. Someone in California paying $0.25/kWh will spend nearly twice as much per charge as someone in Texas paying $0.13/kWh. In the UK, tariff choice matters too — some suppliers offer EV-specific plans that drop the overnight rate significantly.
If you’re in the US, the EIA’s state-by-state rate data is worth checking before you buy a used EV. The difference between a cheap and expensive state can easily add up to $200–$300 per year.
Battery Size
Larger batteries cost more to fill — but they also take you further. A 24 kWh battery (older Nissan Leaf) costs less per full charge than a 100 kWh battery (Tesla Model S), but you’ll be charging the smaller one more often. The cost per mile is what really matters for comparison, not the cost per charge.
One thing specific to used EVs: battery degradation. A used Leaf that’s lost 15–20% of its original capacity won’t hold as many kWh as advertised — meaning slightly less range per charge, but also slightly lower cost per full top-up. It largely balances out for daily use.
Charging Time — Peak vs Off-Peak
If your utility offers a Time-of-Use (TOU) tariff, you can pay dramatically less by charging overnight. Off-peak rates are often 30–50% cheaper than peak rates in markets like California, the UK, and Ontario. On a $600/year charging habit, that’s a potential saving of $180–$300 just by setting a timer on your charger.
Most modern EVs let you schedule charging directly from the car’s settings or app. It takes five minutes to set up and runs on autopilot from there.
Charger Type — Level 1 vs Level 2
A Level 1 charger is the standard three-pin plug that comes with most EVs. It’s slow (adds 4–8 miles of range per hour) but costs nothing extra to install. A Level 2 home charger (also called a wallbox or EVSE) charges 3–5x faster and typically costs $300–$800 installed.
The electricity cost per kWh is identical for both. The difference is time, not money — unless Level 1 charging forces you to also use public chargers, which are much more expensive. For most used EV buyers, a Level 2 home charger pays for itself in convenience within a year.
Real Example Calculations
Theory is useful, but concrete numbers are better. Here are three real-world examples using commonly used EV models and a US electricity rate of $0.15/kWh.
Small Battery EV — Nissan Leaf (24 kWh)
The older Nissan Leaf is one of the most popular used EVs on the market. With a 24 kWh battery and a typical efficiency of around 3.5 miles/kWh:
- Full charge cost: 24 × $0.15 = $3.60
- Range per charge: ~80 miles
- Per mile cost: ~$0.045 (about 4.5 cents)
- Monthly cost (1,000 miles): ~$45
- Annual cost: ~$540
Mid-Size EV — Nissan Leaf Plus / Chevy Bolt (60–65 kWh)
A mid-range used EV with a 65 kWh battery offers better range and slightly better efficiency:
- Full charge cost: 65 × $0.15 = $9.75
- Range per charge: ~240 miles
- Per mile cost: ~$0.04
- Monthly cost (1,000 miles): ~$40
- Annual cost: ~$480
Large Battery EV — Tesla Model 3 (75 kWh)
A used Tesla Model 3 is still one of the most efficient EVs per mile, which keeps running costs low despite the larger battery:
- Full charge cost: 75 × $0.15 = $11.25
- Range per charge: ~300 miles
- Per mile cost: ~$0.037
- Monthly cost (1,000 miles): ~$37
- Annual cost: ~$444
Used EV vs Petrol Cost Comparison
This is where it gets interesting. Charging at home versus filling a petrol tank is not even close in most markets.
Driving 12,000 miles per year — US average:
Petrol car (30 mpg, $3.50/gallon): ~$1,400/year
Used EV at home ($0.15/kWh, 4 mi/kWh): ~$450/year
Typical saving per year: ~$950
That’s roughly $80/month back in your pocket.
In the UK, the contrast is even sharper. With petrol costing around £1.40–£1.55 per litre and a typical car getting 40 mpg (roughly 7 litres per 100km), the annual fuel cost for 12,000 miles sits around £1,200–£1,400. Home EV charging at an off-peak overnight tariff can bring that down to £200–£350 — a saving of up to £1,000 per year.
On a per-mile cost basis, EVs typically cost 2–5p per mile to charge at home. Petrol cars cost 14–19p per mile at current fuel prices. That’s three to five times the cost of electricity.
Ways to Reduce Your Charging Cost
If you want to push your home charging cost even lower, these strategies genuinely work:
- Switch to a time-of-use tariff. Overnight rates can be 30–50% cheaper. In the UK, plans like Octopus Go offer specific EV overnight rates around 7–8p/kWh versus standard daytime rates of 25p+.
- Set a charging schedule. Most EVs and wallboxes let you program start times. Charge between midnight and 6 am as a default.
- Install solar panels. Midday solar generation paired with a home battery can bring your effective charging cost to near zero. The upfront cost is significant, but it stacks well with an EV over 5–10 years.
- Use smart charging. A smart wallbox monitors grid prices in real time and charges when rates are lowest — no manual scheduling needed.
- Avoid public rapid chargers for daily use. DC fast chargers can cost 3–5x the home rate. Use them for long trips, not commutes.
Hidden Costs Most Guides Don’t Mention
Home EV charging is cheap — but not completely cost-free. A few things are worth accounting for when you’re estimating total running costs.
Level 2 charger installation
If you want faster home charging, a wallbox typically costs $300–$800 in the US or £500–£1,000 in the UK (including installation). Some government grants offset this — the UK’s EV chargepoint grant covers up to £350. Factor this into your first-year cost, not ongoing cost.
Electricity plan changes
Switching to a time-of-use tariff to save on EV charging may raise your daytime rate. If you work from home and use a lot of daytime electricity, run the numbers carefully before switching.
Battery degradation on used EVs
An older battery with degraded capacity won’t charge as efficiently and may require slightly more frequent partial top-ups. For most drivers, this adds less than $30–$50 per year in extra charging, but it’s worth noting when buying.
Home wiring upgrades
Very old homes (pre-1980s) may need an electrical panel upgrade to support a Level 2 charger safely. Get an electrician to assess before you buy the charger.
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Charging a used electric car at home costs roughly $350–$800 per year in the US, or £250–£600 in the UK — significantly less than running a comparable petrol car. At current electricity and fuel prices, the average driver saves $700–$1,000 per year on fuel alone.
For most used EV buyers, the home charging cost question has a clear answer: it’s cheaper, it’s predictable, and it gets even cheaper if you take advantage of off-peak tariffs or solar generation.
The only scenario where home charging costs become complicated is if you live somewhere with unusually high electricity rates (above $0.25/kWh), use rapid public chargers heavily, or have a very large battery and drive extremely high mileage. Even then, the math usually still favours the EV.
If you’re evaluating a used EV purchase and want to nail down your exact number, use this simple formula:
Plug in your own numbers and compare them to what you’re paying at the pump right now. The difference might surprise you.
Ready to see your own numbers?