U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated

Outdoor & Garage · Montana

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

The short answer

A typical 7,200W Level 2 EV charger costs about $1.08 per hour to run in Montana, or $65.66 a month at 2 hours a day.

Montana’s average residential rate was 15.0¢ per kWh in July 2026 (EIA), 18% below the US average.

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

EV Charger cost by daily use in Montana

Cost at 15.0¢/kWh, the Montana average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 219.0 $1.08 $32.83 $394
2 hours/day 438.0 $2.16 $65.66 $788
4 hours/day 876.1 $4.32 $131 $1,576
8 hours/day 1,752.2 $8.63 $263 $3,151
12 hours/day 2,628.3 $12.95 $394 $4,727
24 hours/day 5,256.6 $25.90 $788 $9,454

Montana vs other states

At typical use, a Level 2 EV charger costs $788 a year in Montana — $1,735 less than in Hawaii and $119 more than in Louisiana.

Montana has the 14th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Montana price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Montana

15.0¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +5.0% 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 Montana?

Running a 7,200W Level 2 EV charger for 24 hours uses about 173 kWh, which costs about $25.90 at Montana’s average rate of 15.0¢/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 Montana that costs $65.66.

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

Montana has the 14th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 15.0¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a Level 2 EV charger here costs about $788 a year at typical use, compared with $962 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Montana right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Montana was 15.0¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 5.0% 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.

Sources & method