charging tesla electric dollar cost car home model miles usa

 

Electric vehicle advocates often argue that the cost of charging an electric car is less than the cost of fueling a gasoline-powered vehicle.  While these claims are generally true, the picture is more complicated than saying that a Tesla or any other electric vehicle will always save you money on energy costs.  It depends on where you charge.

How much does it cost to charge a Tesla at home?

If you don't have access to a free charging service (some early Teslas came with free Superchargers from the automaker), then plugging it in at home is likely the cheapest way to charge your Tesla.  In North Dakota, you can charge a Tesla Model 3 RWD from empty to full at home for just $7, which is the best-case scenario. 

North Dakota has the cheapest electricity prices in the U.S., averaging less than $0.10 per kilowatt-hour, and the base Model 3 has a smaller battery than all other Teslas. It has the highest  electricity prices in the continental U.S. (Connecticut at $0.34 per kilowatt-hour), and it costs about $40 to charge the large battery in a Model S or Model X.

But the cost of charging and refueling an electric vehicle can't be simply compared.  To make a real comparison, you need to consider how far you can travel with each type of vehicle.  As you can see from the table below, a Tesla can be driven for just a few cents per mile.  The national average Tesla driver who drives 13,500 miles would spend between $405 and $1,755 to charge if they're always plugged in at home.

Of course, the exact numbers will vary depending on your vehicle's actual efficiency, which is affected by your electricity costs, weather, driving style, etc.  For more accurate numbers based on where you live, check out how much it costs to charge an electric car in each state.

How much does it cost to use a Tesla Supercharger?

Tesla's network of 17,000 Superchargers offers great value for money.  A Supercharger can charge a nearly empty Tesla to 80% in 15-30 minutes, but the electricity costs about twice as much as charging at home,  ranging from $0.25 to $0.50 per kilowatt-hour depending on the location.  PlugShare, a free website and app, can help you find the cheapest charging stations near you.