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How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric SUV at Home and at Public Stations?

Electric SUV charging costs depend on vehicle efficiency, your home electricity rate, and public-station fees. Here’s how to calculate a fair per-100-mile comparison.
Entry621 Date Time8 min MechanicCarCody Team
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There is no single price to charge an electric SUV: at home, multiply the vehicle’s energy use by your electricity rate; at a public station, check that location’s posted price and fees. As a U.S. illustration, a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV AWD works out to about 32.7–35.1 kWh per 100 miles from its published efficiency rating. At the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s 2025 average residential rate of 17.30¢ per kWh, that is approximately $5.66–$6.07 per 100 miles before any separate equipment or other charges.

How to estimate the cost of charging an electric SUV

Start with the distance you expect to drive, the SUV’s electricity use, and the price you pay for electricity. The basic estimate is:

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Charging cost = (miles driven ÷ 100) × vehicle efficiency in kWh per 100 miles × electricity price per kWh.

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For example, if an SUV uses 34 kWh per 100 miles and the applicable electricity rate is $0.20 per kWh, the energy cost is $6.80 per 100 miles: 34 × $0.20. At that same rate, 250 miles would use an estimated 85 kWh and cost $17 for energy. These are formula examples, not quoted rates for a particular utility or vehicle.

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The U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center (DOE AFDC) explains that estimating an EV’s cost per mile requires both the electricity price and the vehicle’s efficiency. Use the rate that applies to the charging time and account being billed, rather than assuming every household pays the national average. If you want a cost per mile, divide the per-100-mile figure by 100.

Use the right efficiency figure

Vehicle efficiency may be listed as kWh per 100 miles or as MPGe. The first is directly usable in the formula. MPGe is an energy-equivalence measure, not a promise of real-world driving range or an electricity bill figure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines 100 MPGe as equivalent to 33.7 kWh per 100 miles. To convert an MPGe figure to approximate energy use, divide 33.7 by the MPGe value expressed as a decimal multiple of 100: for example, 96 MPGe means 33.7 ÷ 0.96, or about 35.1 kWh per 100 miles.

A published SUV example

DOE AFDC’s model-year 2025 vehicle listing gives the Chevrolet Equinox EV AWD an efficiency rating of 96–103 MPGe. Using EPA’s 33.7-kWh equivalence, that corresponds to approximately 35.1–32.7 kWh per 100 miles, respectively. This is an arithmetic conversion of published ratings, not a road test; actual use can differ with driving and conditions.

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EIA reports that the 2025 U.S. average residential electricity price was 17.30¢ per kWh. Applying that historical annual benchmark to the converted Equinox figures gives about $5.66–$6.07 per 100 miles (32.7–35.1 kWh × $0.173). This calculation uses the published efficiency ratings and the 2025 national residential average; it is not a personalized bill estimate or a current quote for a specific home.

What you may pay at home

Home charging is generally billed through your electric utility. For a useful estimate, identify the marginal price for the electricity used to charge the car, then apply the formula to the SUV’s efficiency. A national average is only a fallback when you do not yet know your own rate. EIA’s annual 2025 average across U.S. residential customers was 17.30¢ per kWh, but local utility rates and rate arrangements vary.

Find the rate that applies to your charging

  1. Check your electricity bill or utility account. Find the per-kWh energy rate and determine whether your account has a time-of-use rate, charging incentive, or another arrangement that changes the price by time or conditions.
  2. Match the rate to your charging window. If your utility applies different prices at different times, use the rate in effect when the vehicle charges. If an incentive has specific eligibility or operating terms, include it only if your household qualifies and will follow those terms.
  3. Use the vehicle’s efficiency rating. Prefer kWh per 100 miles when available. If the figure is MPGe, convert it using the EPA equivalence before multiplying by the electricity rate.
  4. Calculate for the distance you actually expect to drive. Multiply the per-100-mile energy cost by your miles divided by 100. For an annual estimate, use expected annual miles rather than assuming every charge starts with an empty battery.

EIA’s 2026 reporting of calendar-year 2025 data also shows why a national average should not be treated as a household quote: average retail prices across all customer types ranged from 8.20¢ per kWh in North Dakota to 35.72¢ in Hawaii. Those are all-sector state averages, not residential prices for every utility area, so they illustrate geographic variation rather than a reliable home-rate range for an individual driver.

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Estimate energy for a partial or full charge

For a distance estimate, the per-100-mile method is usually more useful than pricing a hypothetical empty-to-full refill. If you know how many kWh a charging session delivers, multiply those kWh by the applicable price per kWh to estimate the energy charge. A full refill estimate requires knowing how much energy is delivered; battery capacity alone does not establish the amount a particular session will add. A partial charge is calculated the same way, using the energy delivered in that session.

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The resulting figure is an estimate of energy cost, not necessarily the change in the total utility bill. It does not automatically include fixed bill charges, a home charger’s purchase or installation, or other fees. Keep one-time equipment costs separate from recurring electricity expense so the comparison remains clear.

What you may pay at a public charging station

Public charging does not have one universal U.S. price. DOE AFDC says networks may bill per session, per hour, or by the energy used, and some locations may add fees or offer membership pricing. Rates are specific to the network and station and can change, so check the location’s current posted price and terms before starting a charge. A 2015 DOE consumer handbook describes differing payment methods and free charging locations, but it is too old to establish a current public rate.

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Compare the station’s billing method

  • Per kWh: Multiply the station’s posted price per kWh by the energy delivered. Then divide by the SUV’s efficiency in kWh per 100 miles and multiply by 100 to get an estimated cost per 100 miles.
  • Per minute or hour: The cost depends on the time billed, so use the final session charge and the energy delivered to understand what the session cost. A time-based fee cannot be compared accurately with a per-kWh price without those details.
  • Per session: Include the session charge in the total, whether or not the fee is the only cost. If the station also bills for energy or time, include those amounts too.
  • Membership or other fees: Check whether the displayed price depends on membership and whether there are additional transaction, parking, idle, or other charges. Include any fee that applies to your stop.

For an apples-to-apples comparison, use the same SUV and distance for home and public charging. With a station that charges by kWh, calculate cost per 100 miles using its posted energy price. With a time- or session-based charge, use the amount actually billed for the energy delivered, then compare that session’s cost with the equivalent distance driven. DOE AFDC says public charging—especially DC fast charging—normally costs more than electricity used at home, but the actual difference depends on the local station, billing terms, and home tariff. There is no authoritative national light-duty public charging price in the cited sources to use as a universal figure.

AC Level 2 and DC fast charging

Public stations include AC Level 2 and DC fast charging. Identify the charging level and read the station’s billing terms rather than assuming that all public charging has the same price. The label “fast” describes a charging category; it does not tell you the fee or establish the total cost of a stop. Compare the amount charged and the fees for that specific location.

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Home and public charging compared

Factor Home charging Public charging
Price to use in the estimate Your applicable marginal electricity rate; EIA’s 2025 U.S. residential average was 17.30¢/kWh, a historical benchmark. The specific station’s posted price and applicable fee terms; no single national price is established by the cited sources.
Common way to calculate Vehicle kWh/100 miles × household dollars/kWh. Use the posted per-kWh price when billed by energy; otherwise include the final time, session, and other applicable charges.
Billing arrangements noted by DOE AFDC Utility rates may depend on time or other rate arrangements. May be billed per session, per hour, or by energy; some sites may have fees or membership pricing.
Equipment cost A Level 2 unit and installation may be separate upfront expenses if needed. Not a home-equipment purchase, but station-specific fees can apply.

The useful comparison is not simply “home versus public” in the abstract. It is the home’s applicable energy rate versus the station’s actual billing terms, using the same vehicle efficiency and distance. Public DC fast charging is generally more expensive than home electricity according to DOE AFDC, but check the specific options available to you rather than assuming a fixed premium.

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Separate the home charger from the electricity bill

A home Level 2 charger is a possible upfront purchase for households that need dedicated 240-volt charging. It does not lower the utility’s price per kWh. Some households may be able to charge using existing equipment or an included cordset, so an additional wall charger is not automatically required for every electric SUV owner.

Before buying a unit or scheduling work, check the SUV’s charging specifications, the home’s available electrical service, local permit requirements, installation charges, and the equipment’s safety certification. These determine whether a setup is suitable and what its upfront cost may be; they are separate from the recurring cost of electricity. Do not treat a charger’s purchase price as part of a per-mile energy calculation unless you are deliberately building a broader ownership-cost estimate and state how you allocate that one-time expense.

Common estimate mistakes to avoid

  • Using the state average as your personal rate. EIA’s 2025 state figures cover all customer types; your utility territory and tariff determine the rate relevant to your home charging.
  • Confusing MPGe with kWh per 100 miles. Convert MPGe through EPA’s 33.7-kWh equivalence before multiplying by a per-kWh price.
  • Assuming every charge is a full refill. Estimate the energy or distance you actually need instead of multiplying a presumed full-battery charge by an arbitrary number of sessions.
  • Comparing a public time fee directly with a home energy rate. A minute- or hour-based charge is not a per-kWh price; use the final bill and delivered energy to make a fair comparison.
  • Omitting location-specific public fees. Check the station’s current terms for session, parking, idle, transaction, or membership charges that apply.
  • Mixing equipment with recurring electricity. Keep home charger purchase and installation separate from the energy cost unless you clearly label a broader estimate.

Use a personal estimate rather than a national illustration

To get a result that fits your own situation, record the SUV’s efficiency, the miles you plan to drive, and the price that applies where you charge. For home use, look up your utility rate and any time-based terms. For a public stop, use the station’s live listing or posted information and include its billing basis and additional fees. Recalculate when a rate, station price, or vehicle changes. The EIA example above reports annual 2025 prices, and the vehicle example is model year 2025; neither substitutes for current local pricing or the efficiency of a different SUV.

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