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

Outdoor & Garage · Virginia

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

The short answer

Running a 7,200W Level 2 EV charger in Virginia costs about $1.26 an hour. At 2 hours a day, that’s roughly $76.88 a month and $922 a year.

That’s based on Virginia’s average residential rate of 17.6¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026), 4% below the US average.

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

EV Charger cost by daily use in Virginia

Cost at 17.6¢/kWh, the Virginia average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 219.0 $1.26 $38.44 $461
2 hours/day 438.0 $2.53 $76.88 $922
4 hours/day 876.1 $5.05 $154 $1,845
8 hours/day 1,752.2 $10.11 $308 $3,690
12 hours/day 2,628.3 $15.16 $461 $5,535
24 hours/day 5,256.6 $30.33 $923 $11,069

Virginia vs other states

At typical use, a Level 2 EV charger costs $922 a year in Virginia — $1,600 less than in Hawaii and $254 more than in Louisiana.

Virginia has the 20th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. Virginia price per kWh · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Virginia

17.6¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +11.2% 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 Virginia?

Running a 7,200W Level 2 EV charger for 24 hours uses about 173 kWh, which costs about $30.33 at Virginia’s average rate of 17.6¢/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 Virginia that costs $76.88.

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

Virginia has the 20th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 17.6¢/kWh — pricier than most. Running a Level 2 EV charger here costs about $922 a year at typical use, compared with $962 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Virginia right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Virginia was 17.6¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 11.2% 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.

Sources & method