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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Electric Vehicle Charger (Home) in North Carolina? (2026)
Charging an EV at home is usually the largest new load a household adds. A Level 1 charger on a standard outlet draws about 1.4 kW; a Level 2 wall unit draws 7 to 11.5 kW. Total energy depends on distance driven, not charger size.
A typical electric vehicle charger (home) (7,200 W) costs $1.08 per hour, or about $64.80 per month at 2 hours a day in North Carolina. Expensive to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (1,400 W) | $0.21 | $0.42 | $12.60 | $153.30 |
| Typical (7,200 W) | $1.08 | $2.16 | $64.80 | $788.40 |
| High (11,500 W) | $1.72 | $3.45 | $103.50 | $1,259 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 2 h/day ≈ 5,256 kWh per year.
One hour of an electric vehicle charger (home) (7.2 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 2.4dryer loads
- 72kettle boils
- 160hours of a laptop
- 800hours of an LED bulb
In North Carolina, with electricity at $0.15 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical electric vehicle charger (home) costs $1.08 per hour and about $788.40 per year at 2 hours a day. That is about 17% less than the national average for the US ($77.76 per month), because electricity in North Carolina costs $0.15 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 0.9 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a electric vehicle charger (home)
- Charge overnight if your utility offers an off-peak or EV tariff. The saving is often 30 to 50 percent.
- Schedule charging in the car or charger app rather than plugging in at peak evening hours.
- Precondition the cabin while still plugged in so the battery is not used for heating and cooling.
- A faster charger does not use more energy per mile. It just finishes sooner.
In standby it draws about 5 W, which adds roughly 44 kWh ($6.57) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
Roughly 0.25 to 0.35 kWh per mile. A 60 kWh battery from empty to full uses about 65 kWh including charging losses.
Is home charging cheaper than public charging?
Almost always, often by a factor of two to four compared with fast chargers.
Does an EV charger use power when the car is not plugged in?
Smart chargers draw 2 to 8 watts in standby to stay connected.
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming