U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
Appliances Rates by state Compare Calculators Reports Methodology About

Outdoor & Garage · South Carolina

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

The short answer

Running a 7,200W Level 2 EV charger in South Carolina costs about $1.11 an hour. At 2 hours a day, that’s roughly $67.77 a month and $813 a year.

That’s based on South Carolina’s average residential rate of 15.5¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 16% below the US average.

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

EV Charger cost by daily use in South Carolina

Cost at 15.5¢/kWh, the South Carolina average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 219.0 $1.11 $33.88 $407
2 hours/day 438.0 $2.23 $67.77 $813
4 hours/day 876.1 $4.46 $136 $1,626
8 hours/day 1,752.2 $8.91 $271 $3,252
12 hours/day 2,628.3 $13.37 $407 $4,879
24 hours/day 5,256.6 $26.73 $813 $9,757

South Carolina vs other states

At typical use, a Level 2 EV charger costs $813 a year in South Carolina — $1,710 less than in Hawaii and $145 more than in Louisiana.

South Carolina has the 20th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. South Carolina price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in South Carolina

15.5¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +5.2% 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 South Carolina?

Running a 7,200W Level 2 EV charger for 24 hours uses about 173 kWh, which costs about $26.73 at South Carolina’s average rate of 15.5¢/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 South Carolina that costs $67.77.

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

South Carolina has the 20th-cheapest residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 15.5¢/kWh — cheaper than most. Running a Level 2 EV charger here costs about $813 a year at typical use, compared with $962 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in South Carolina right now?

The average residential electricity rate in South Carolina was 15.5¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 5.2% 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