The shift from traditional cars to electric vehicles is speeding up in the US. Every year, more drivers make the switch or choose an EV when purchasing a new car. While fossil-fueled vehicles continue to dominate the car market, electric vehicles are gaining popularity, at a slow but sure pace. If you are one of those drivers considering purchasing an electric vehicle, you may be wondering how much does charging an electric car in an EV charging station cost.
Just as it happens with traditional fuel engine vehicles, the cost of running and charging an electric vehicle will vary depending on which car model you own, the specifics of the vehicle and how and where you decide to recharge it. The good news is that all in all, EVs are likely to make you save money when compared to cars with an internal combustion engine: electricity is cheaper than petrol or diesel.
Lucky for those who are thinking of buying an electric vehicle, there are more charging points available every year. EV charging stations' cost depends on the state you're charging your electric car, the type of charger used, and the system you choose, amongst other variables.
Difference Between EV Charging And Filling A Tank
An EV charging station cost depends on many variables, as it was stated before. Amongst these variables we find:
● The charge point network.
● The location of the charging points.
● If you have a network subscription or are using the pay-as-you-go method.
● Power rating of the charging point.
● If it is a slow, fast or rapid charger.
● The type of electric vehicle you have and the plug they come with.
The cost of filling up a regular car also depends on many variables. Some things to take into consideration are:
● Gasoline price increases over the years and there usually aren't any sales or promotions on gas.
● The cost is around $4 a gallon and growing in some countries due to shortages (decreased production from drillers), demand increases with people going back to work or school, and inflation
● How far you drive each day.
And it is also important to consider the size of your car: smaller cars frequently have gas tanks that hold 12 gallons worth of gas. Larger cars hold up to 16 gallons.
Let’s say that filling up a small car's tank would be around $48, while doing so for a large one would be approximately $64 each time.
On the other hand, to fully understand how much charging an EV would cost, you must acknowledge that fuel efficiency of an electric vehicle is measured in kWh per 100 miles. To calculate the cost per mile of an EV it must be taken in consideration both the cost of electricity and how much electricity does the vehicle use to travel 100 miles.
For example, if electricity costs $0.11 per kWh and your EV consumes 30 kWh per 100 miles, the cost per mile would be around $0,03. If an EV has a 200 mile range, fully charging a battery would be about $6 each time.
How To Charge An EV
There are two types of systems to charge an EV:
● Pay-As-You-Go – You pay each time you make a recharge.
● Subscription Plan – These offer an unlimited monthly charging plan.
The one you will choose will depend on how much you are planning on using your EV and the type of car you have got.
There is no doubt that if you want to be able to find fast chargers near you and are planning on driving your car many miles a week, the better option would be to choose the subscription plan.
Though most EV drivers have charging equipment at home, they usually are Level 1 chargers that take over 24 hours to fully recharge a battery. If you need to get charged in about an hour or so, you will need to use a fast charger that you can find at EV charging stations.
