Level 2 home EV charger
Charges several times faster than a wall socket.
View on AmazonChecked against official sources on 25 October 2026
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?
About $45 a month
for a 7.2 kW Level 2 charger adding about 30 miles of range a day in No match. Pick "Another country" to type your own price. , at 18.16 cents per kWh.
Type your electricity price to see the cost.
cents per kWh
- Draws while on
- 7,200 W
- Costs per hour
- $1.31
What you pay to charge at home depends on how far you drive, not on the charger. The Alternative Fuels Data Center gives an example EV that uses 27 kWh to go 100 miles, and the average US car is driven about 11,000 miles a year. That works out to about 2,980 kWh a year, or about 8 kWh a day. A faster charger puts the same energy in sooner; it doesn't cost more per mile.
The calculator starts at 68 minutes a day on a 7.2 kW charger. That puts in about 8.2 kWh, enough for about 30 miles at 27 kWh per 100 miles, which matches the FHWA average of 11,026 miles a year for a car. If you pick another charger, change the time so the energy stays the same: about 258 minutes on Level 1, 51 minutes at 9.6 kW or 43 minutes at 11.5 kW. Some energy is also lost as heat while charging; fueleconomy.gov puts charging efficiency at 84% to 93%.
Work out your own EV charger
Draws about 7,200 W
Look on the label or plug for a number followed by W.
minutes
cents per kWh
Per day$1.48
Per month$45
Per year$541
Something else with a plug? Use the running cost calculator. Want your own appliance's exact figure? A plug-in electricity usage monitor shows the real kWh it uses.
Popular buys that cut the cost
What people reading this page usually look for next. Links open your country's Amazon store.
Portable EV charger
Plugs into an existing outlet; good for travel.
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Home chargers compared
Charging power from the Alternative Fuels Data Center and the ENERGY STAR certified charger data set. A faster charger costs more per hour but runs for less time, so the cost per mile is the same. Costs below use the price you set above.
| Charger | Power while on | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1, 120 V outletAbout 5 miles of range per hour of charging (AFDC) | $0.35 | |
| Level 2, 7.2 kW (30 A, 240 V)Typical home unit; about 25 miles of range per hour (AFDC) | $1.31 | |
| Level 2, 9.6 kW (40 A, 240 V)79 of 437 ENERGY STAR Level 2 models | $1.74 | |
| Level 2, 11.5 kW (48 A, 240 V)135 of 437 ENERGY STAR Level 2 models, the most common rating | $2.09 |
What it costs in other countries
For a 7.2 kW Level 2 charger adding about 30 miles of range a day, at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.16 cents | $45 | $541 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £65 | £784 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €90 | €1,078 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €96 | €1,153 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €62 | €740 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €62 | €747 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €78 | €936 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €61 | €727 |
Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.
How to cut the cost of running your EV charger
-
Charge at the cheapest time
If your utility has a time-of-use rate, set the car or charger to start after the peak hours end. The car needs the same kWh, but each one costs less.
-
Choose an ENERGY STAR charger
The Alternative Fuels Data Center says certified Level 1 and Level 2 chargers use 40% less energy than other similar products.
-
Use your car's own figure
Cars differ a lot. Your car's kWh per 100 miles, on its window sticker or on fueleconomy.gov, tells you what each mile really costs.
What can power it
A Level 2 charger runs on 240 V. The Alternative Fuels Data Center says a typical 30 A home unit needs a dedicated 40 A circuit under the National Electrical Code, Article 625, so it's a job for an electrician.
Level 1 charging uses an ordinary 120 V outlet, but the AFDC says it works best on a dedicated branch circuit. Charging draws its full power for hours at a time, so check with the car maker before charging from a generator or power station.
Common questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
Multiply the kWh you put in by your electricity price. At 27 kWh per 100 miles, the Alternative Fuels Data Center's example figure, a car driven the FHWA average of 11,026 miles a year needs about 2,980 kWh. Type your own miles and price into the calculator above, or use your car's kWh per 100 miles from its window sticker.
How much does it cost per mile to charge an electric car?
At 27 kWh per 100 miles, each mile takes 0.27 kWh. At the average US home price of 18.16 cents per kWh, that's about 5 cents a mile. The Alternative Fuels Data Center's own example, at 10.7 cents per kWh, comes to about 3 cents a mile.
How many watts does a Level 2 charger use?
The Alternative Fuels Data Center says Level 2 units range from 2.9 to 19.2 kW, and most home units run at up to 30 A, delivering 7.2 kW. In the ENERGY STAR certified data set, the most common Level 2 rating is 11.52 kW (135 of 437 models), followed by 19.2 kW and 9.6 kW.
Is Level 1 charging enough?
Often, yes. The Alternative Fuels Data Center says Level 1 adds about 5 miles of range per hour, and 8 hours at 120 V can add about 40 miles for a mid-size EV. That's more than the 30 miles a day an average US car is driven.
How much does it cost to run an EV charger per hour?
About $1.31 an hour in the United States, at the average price of 18.16 cents per kWh, or about £1.90 in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a 7.2 kW Level 2 charger adding about 30 miles of range a day drawing 7,200 W.
How many amps does an EV charger use?
At 7,200 W, an EV charger draws about 30 A at 240 V (US, on the 240 V circuit it needs), or about 31.3 A at 230 V (UK, Europe, India, Australia). That's the draw at its rated power; check the label on yours.
Sources
- U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: Level 1 (120 V, 1.9 kW, about 5 miles per hour) and Level 2 (2.9–19.2 kW; typical home unit 30 A, 7.2 kW), fetched 25 October 2026
- U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, Charging Electric Vehicles at Home: example EV using 27 kWh per 100 miles, fetched 25 October 2026
- U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, Developing Infrastructure to Charge Electric Vehicles: ENERGY STAR chargers use 40% less energy, fetched 25 October 2026
- U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, Average Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled by Major Vehicle Category (from FHWA Highway Statistics, Table VM-1): car 11,026 miles, fetched 25 October 2026
- ENERGY STAR Certified Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, AC-Output data set (U.S. EPA), 479 models, 437 of them Level 2, fetched 25 October 2026
- U.S. DOE and EPA, fueleconomy.gov, All-Electric Vehicles: battery charging efficiency often 84% to 93%, fetched 25 October 2026
- Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204): consumption band 2,500–4,999 kWh, all taxes and levies included, January–June 2026 (updated 13 October 2026)
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Quarterly Survey of Domestic Electricity Prices, report for 15 August 2026: New Zealand average retail price, modelled household using 8,000 kWh a year, including GST
- SP Group, regulated electricity tariff for households (low tension), 1 October to 31 December 2026, including 9% GST
- Ofgem energy price cap: average Direct Debit electricity unit rate, England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Monthly Update: average residential price, August 2026 (released 23 October 2026)
Last checked 25 October 2026. How we get our numbers.