Purchasing an electric vehicle means you’re moving away from filling up with gas, and rather charging up your vehicle with electricity. But with that, comes some complications and you may be asking yourself:
How accessible is EV charging on the road?
How much does EV charging cost?
How far can I go on a charge?
A few years ago, finding an electric vehicle charger on the road may have been hard to come by, but now with over 113,000 charging stations across the U.S., you won’t be left stranded. But the cost is always a factor and people may want to know where the closest FREE electric vehicle charging stations might be. And yes, they exist, if you know where to look!
If you purchased an electric vehicle to save money at the pump, you may be left wondering how much this is going to cost you.
The average cost to charge a vehicle at a public EV station is around $0.30- $0.60 kWh. This means to fully charge an electric vehicle ranges from $11 to $50. But this overall cost can vary widely based on a number of factors.
The mileage of electric cars is measured in MPGe or miles per gallon equivalent where 1 gallon of gasoline = 33.7 kWh (kilowatt-hours). And since charging stations charge per kWh, you can do some simple math to determine how much it will cost to “fill” your vehicle.
Let’s use the Tesla Model 3 as an example. The Tesla Model 3 is rated to travel approximately 350 miles on one charge. 350MPGe is the equivalent of 10.384216 mi/kWh. And since the Tesla Model 3 has a 57.5 kWh battery, to fully charge it will cost you anywhere from $17.25 to $34.50.
That was 57.5 multiplied by the average costs of charging stations. So to go 350 miles, you can pay as low as $17.25. And in a world where gas is toppling $4/gallon, that’s some major savings.
There are 3 different types of EV chargers you’ll find:
Level 1 charger- This is the standard 120-volt outlet that you find in your home. It’s the slowest way to charge your vehicle, taking 8-12 hours to fully charge.
Level 2 charger- This is a 240-volt charger similar to what’s used for your clothes dryer or oven. It can charge your vehicle 4-6 times faster than a level 1 charger.
Level 3 charger- Also called a DC fast charger, this is the most powerful option and can charge your vehicle up to 80% in 30 minutes.
Chances are, you’ll mostly find level 2 and level 3 chargers out on the road. And the faster the charge, the more costly the EV charger may be. Most hotel chains or gas stations will feature a level 2 charger, so you can expect the mid-range costs for those.
If you find yourself frequently traveling long distances, you’re going to want to consider investing in a level 3 charger for your home so you can quickly charge up before venturing out. Essentially, this will cut down on the time you spend waiting to charge up your vehicle and get back on the road.
Frequent drivers should also seek out at least level 2 chargers while on the road using apps like PlugShare and EVgo. There are also some companies that offer subscription-based fast charging which may be beneficial for those who frequently travel long distances.
The price of electricity varies depending on where you live, so traveling across state lines can also affect how much or how little you might pay at a public charging station. For example, the average cents per kWh or electric rate in Minnesota is 13.17, but our neighbors in North Dakota have a rate of just 9.64 cents/kWh.
Overall, it can be highly beneficial to do a few things:
Invest in a fast charger at home so you can always have a full battery (and save money).
Seek out free EV charging stations.
Electric vehicle chargers don’t always charge a fee to use. There are a few situations where they might be free, including:
College campuses
Whole Foods or Target
Energy-focused businesses
Certain gas stations or visitor centers
Car dealerships
National parks
You can also get free charging on certain days of the year like Earth Day, and Tesla owners can often get free charging on holidays.
While it can cost money to charge your electric vehicle, there are ways to get around it. And as the technology improves, we can only expect the costs of charging an electric car to go down. Many EV owners can benefit from unlimited memberships through ChargePoint or Blink Charging with incentives such as points systems or tax rebates.
It’s possible to find free charging stations in a few ways. The most common is through apps like PlugShare, ChargePoint, and Recargo. You can use these apps to find stations near you that may be free to the public or may require a membership fee.
Additionally, some workplaces offer employee EV charging as an incentive to go green. You might have good luck at hotel chains, certain gas stations, and big-box stores like Target and Walmart. These can also pop up on any of those apps where you can plan out your trip to swing by one of these stops.
To find a local EV charging station, any of the following apps are super useful for finding stations on the go:
Chargemap allows drivers to find nearby stations, set their route, and see costs. It’s also collaborative so users can update info on charging stations such as ones that are out of order.
ChargePoint is the largest charging station database across the United States and is compatible with dozens of other applications. You can also pay for a charge just by holding the app up to the station.
ChargeHub finds just about every charging station in Canada and the United States in a live-updated map.
With EVgo, electric vehicle owners can get real-time results, monitor their charging session, reserve chargers, and collect rewards just for charging their car.
If you’re someone who goes on a lot of road trips or travels for work, EVHotels is a critical app to have. Easily locate nearby hotels with EV chargers.
EVmatch can filter by charging speed, availability, and price. Users can even reserve a charger when in a rush.
Plugshare offers filters such as station availability, charger type, brand, speed, and etc.
Most of these apps will allow users to simply search or filter by cost— aka FREE. In fact, according to PlugShare, there are over 400 free charging stations in the U.S. right now. They have a specific map just for those free stations— talk about convenience!
In addition to using free EV charging stations, there are a few other ways you can save money when it comes to driving an electric car.
One is to invest in your own home charger. This allows you to always have a full battery without having to leave the house.
Use your electric vehicle federal tax rebate towards your EV charging fees. You could go years without paying out of pocket for your EV charging.
Only find free chargers while out on the road.
Charge your vehicle every night during non-peak hours.
Drive slower. Electric vehicles may use far less energy to power your vehicle on city roads vs. high speeds on the highway. So take the scenic route on your road trip!
If you live in an apartment or condo, the easiest way to always have a full battery is to get a parking spot close to the parking lot chargers. But if you own your home, installing an EV charger in your garage can be a big investment upfront, but the savings long-term are a no-brainer.
Some cities offer rebates for installing an EV charger at home. Check with your city officials about any opportunities available in your area.
But ultimately, working with a professional team like 4Front Energy ensures you get a quality installation of your home EV charger. Plus, partnering with Blink means we can offer homeowners some of the best and most efficient EV chargers on the market. If you’re interested in investing in a high-performing EV charger, contact us today!
EV charging costs less than filling a gas tank. And with the right planning you could charge for free.
Public EV charging stations are finally growing. The number of electric vehicle charging stations across the US has nearly doubled -- from 87,352 to 161,562 over the last three years and experts believe this growth trend will continue. According to the The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, at least 140,000 of these charging stations are available to the public -- versus private access like a workplace.
Public charging stations usually charge by the kilowatt hour or for the amount of time you're plugged in. But there are ways you can fuel up your EV at no cost, from manufacturer incentives to ad-driven hookups. However, these no-fee charging options are likely to shrink over time.
"As more and more people are adopting electric vehicles, free charging perks will slowly subside, and it will be a charge for charge," said Grant Gold, director of real estate solutions at EV Connect.
Until then, find out how savvy motorists are getting a free charge.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, public charging has experienced tremendous growth since 2019 and accounting for about 88% of all charging ports. Public charging infrastructure is an important part of EV adoption as it supports long-distance travel those without access to home charging.
Some larger chain businesses offer free charging as a customer perk (and to keep you in the store longer). There are no-fee stations at dozens of Macy's department stores and Cinemark movie theaters, for example.
Kohl's also offers free charging at select locations, as do supermarkets like Fred Meyer, Stop & Shop, Harris Teeter, Kroger, Safeway and Whole Foods.
A number of hotels and inns offer free EV charging for guests, including select Marriott and Hilton locations. Tesla and owners of other EVs can also charge their vehicles for free when they stay or eat at Radisson hotels.
The software of the charging station "allows the site host to control the pricing," Gold says. "The hotel will have the option to use it as an incentive to attract guests or they can charge what they want on an individual basis."
Check ahead before making a reservation, or visit charging map services such as PlugShare, ChargeFinder or ChargeHub to view the status of area stations.
Many colleges have EV charging on campus. Some make it free for students, professors and staff and, on some campuses, even visitors.
Santa Clara University, the University of Florida and the University of Buffalo, for example, all provide free charging in partnership with ChargePoint.
Typically, there are restrictions: The University of Florida, for example, enforces a four-hour time limit, and you must have a university parking sticker if you're charging before 4:30 p.m.
There are more than 140 chargers available across 23 parks and campgrounds nationwide, according to Kampgrounds of America. Some are free, including six Level 2 charging stations at the Oasis at Death Valley in California, which are powered by the resort's onsite solar field.
Rivian sponsors dozens of Waypoint chargers at California's Yosemite National Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. In a partnership with Adopt a Charger, the EV automaker is set to fund 10 years of operation and maintenance costs for both.
In January 2022, Rivian announced plans to install 10,000 more Waypoint chargers across the US and Canada by the end of 2023, including in the majority of Tennessee and Colorado state parks.
You can find a map of EV charging stations in the National Park System.
There are more than 3,600 Volta charging stalls across 35 US states and territories, mostly in shopping malls, stadiums, amusement parks and hospitals in major cities.
Volta was acquired by Shell in 2023 and uses an ad-supported model, meaning you'll be exposed to a host of ads at the charging station. But, Volta offers EV drivers access to Level 2 charging for 30 minutes for free -- which equals about 35 miles of range. You can download the Volta Charging app to find a station nearest you.
Many automakers offer free charging packages to attract new customers. Tesla no longer provides unlimited free Supercharging with new models, but it often offers complimentary charging promotions to boost sales, like at the end of a quarter.
In addition to the options cited above, there are hundreds of libraries, museums, government offices, nonprofits and private businesses that offer free EV charging.
Charging map services such as PlugShare, ChargeFinder or ChargeHub show stations across the country, with a setting for free chargers. Just go to the filters and find the option for free charging.
You can also get information on how many minutes you can charge, at what level, the status of the station and more.
Since much of this info is primarily crowdsourced, you may want to double-check its accuracy.
Read on: 12 Places That Offer EV Charging While You Shop
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