Daily Commute: 30 Miles Each Way, What It Costs to Charge

A 60-mile round-trip daily commute uses about 17 kWh in a typical EV. At US home rates of 16 cents/kWh, that is $2.72 per day, $54 per month, $652 per year. The same commute in a 30 mpg gas car at $3.40/gal: $6.80 per day, $136 per month, $1,632 per year. EV saves $980 a year on a single commute.

The Level 2 setup

Plug in when you get home. A 7.4 kW Level 2 charger replaces the 17 kWh in about 2.5 hours. Plug it in by 7 PM, you're full by 9:30. Set the car to charge during off-peak hours (typically 11 PM to 6 AM) and many utilities cut another 30-40 percent off your rate.

If your commute is shorter

If round-trip is under 40 miles, even Level 1 (120V at 1.4 kW) is enough. Level 1 adds about 4 miles of range per hour, so 10 hours overnight gives 40 miles. Apartment dwellers often skip the Level 2 install entirely.

The math summary

• 15-mile commute: ~$1.40/day EV vs $3.40/day gas
• 30-mile commute: ~$2.72/day vs $6.80/day
• 50-mile commute: ~$4.50/day vs $11.30/day

Run your specific number in the calculator by entering battery size and target SoC equivalent to your daily energy use.