U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
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Outdoor & Garage · California

How Much Does It Cost to Run a EV Charger in California?

The short answer

A typical 7,200W Level 2 EV charger costs about $2.42 per hour to run in California, or $147 a month at 2 hours a day.

California’s average residential rate was 33.6¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 84% above the US average.

Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated

EV Charger cost by daily use in California

Cost at 33.6¢/kWh, the California average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 219.0 $2.42 $73.61 $883
2 hours/day 438.0 $4.84 $147 $1,767
4 hours/day 876.1 $9.68 $294 $3,533
8 hours/day 1,752.2 $19.36 $589 $7,066
12 hours/day 2,628.3 $29.04 $883 $10,599
24 hours/day 5,256.6 $58.08 $1,767 $21,198

California vs other states

At typical use, a Level 2 EV charger costs $1,767 a year in California — $756 less than in Hawaii and $1,098 more than in Louisiana.

California has the 2nd-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. California electricity rates · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in California

33.6¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +2.9% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a Level 2 EV charger

Level 2 chargers run on a 240V circuit and typically deliver 7.2 kW on a 40-amp circuit, or up to 11.5 kW on a 60-amp circuit. Your car decides how fast it accepts power. Two hours a day at 7.2 kW is about 14 kWh, enough for roughly 40–50 miles for most EVs. Charging overnight on a time-of-use plan can lower the cost considerably compared with the average rate shown here.

  • Ask your utility about EV or time-of-use rates and schedule charging overnight.
  • Charge to 80% for daily driving — it's faster and better for the battery.
  • Precondition the car while plugged in during cold weather.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a Level 2 EV charger for 24 hours in California?

Running a 7,200W Level 2 EV charger for 24 hours uses about 173 kWh, which costs about $58.08 at California’s average rate of 33.6¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a Level 2 EV charger use per month?

At 2 hours a day, a typical Level 2 EV charger uses about 438 kWh a month. In California that costs $147.

Is it expensive to run a Level 2 EV charger in California?

California has the 2nd-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 33.6¢/kWh — one of the most expensive. Running a Level 2 EV charger here costs about $1,767 a year at typical use, compared with $962 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in California right now?

The average residential electricity rate in California was 33.6¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 2.9% from a year earlier.

How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?

Multiply the kWh you add by your electricity rate. Adding 14 kWh (about 40–50 miles) costs 14 × your rate — for example, about $2.45 at 17.5¢/kWh.

EV Charger costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Sources & method