Outdoor & Garage · Iowa
How Much Does It Cost to Run a EV Charger in Iowa?
The short answer
Running a 7,200W Level 2 EV charger in Iowa costs about $1.15 an hour. At 2 hours a day, that’s roughly $70.04 a month and $840 a year.
That’s based on Iowa’s average residential rate of 16.0¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 13% below the US average.
Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated
EV Charger cost by daily use in Iowa
| Daily use | kWh/month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour/day | 219.0 | $1.15 | $35.02 | $420 |
| 2 hours/day | 438.0 | $2.30 | $70.04 | $840 |
| 4 hours/day | 876.1 | $4.61 | $140 | $1,681 |
| 8 hours/day | 1,752.2 | $9.21 | $280 | $3,362 |
| 12 hours/day | 2,628.3 | $13.82 | $420 | $5,043 |
| 24 hours/day | 5,256.6 | $27.63 | $841 | $10,085 |
Iowa vs other states
At typical use, a Level 2 EV charger costs $840 a year in Iowa — $1,682 less than in Hawaii and $172 more than in Louisiana.
Iowa has the 24th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Iowa price per kWh · all states ranked
Electricity price trend in Iowa
16.0¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +4.4% 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 Iowa?
Running a 7,200W Level 2 EV charger for 24 hours uses about 173 kWh, which costs about $27.63 at Iowa’s average rate of 16.0¢/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 Iowa that costs $70.04.
Is it expensive to run a Level 2 EV charger in Iowa?
Iowa has the 24th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 16.0¢/kWh — close to the middle of the pack. Running a Level 2 EV charger here costs about $840 a year at typical use, compared with $962 at the national average rate.
What is the electricity rate in Iowa right now?
The average residential electricity rate in Iowa was 16.0¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 4.4% 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
Other appliances in Iowa
Cheapest and priciest states
Sources & method
- Electricity rates: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly — average residential retail price, July 2026 (latest available). Retrieved .
- CO₂: EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 emissions rate of in-state power generation.
- Default usage for Level 2 EV charger: 2 hours a day. Typical power 7,200W.
- Formulas, duty cycles and limitations: methodology. Data download: open data (CC BY 4.0).