How Much Electricity Does an Electric Car Use?

All electric cars are not created equal. Knowing how much electricity your car’s battery requires to run efficiently before charging is essential when planning your next journey.

Also, before buying a new electric car, you’ll need to know how much electricity it will use to calculate your charging costs in the same way owners of ICE vehicles base their purchase on the number of miles to the gallon of gas it uses.

How Many Kwh Does an Electric Car Use Per km?

According to Forbes, kilowatts (kW) and kilowatt-hours (kWh) are the standardized units for E.V. electricity, referring to their use of energy (kWh) and power — a rate of delivering energy per unit of time (kW).

“The average electric car kWh per 100 miles kWh/100 miles) is 34.6. This works out as 0.346kWh per mile. In other words, on average, electric cars consume 34.6 kWh to travel 100 miles (or 160km as there are 1.6km to a mile) and 0.346kWh to travel 1 mile or 1.6km.

Several factors determine the range of an E.V. These include the capacity of a lithium-ion battery, wind, temperature, driving style, air conditioning usage, tire condition and pressure, carload and topography, and road conditions.

How Much Electricity Does an Electric Car Use Per Month?

Assuming the average American E.V. consumes 30kWh/100 miles and using the figures for Average Annual Miles Driven by American drivers according to the US. Department of Transportation, we can calculate the following:

• V. Electricity usage Per Year (of the typical American driver) is 4,042.8 kWh
• V. Electricity usage Per Month (of the typical American driver) is 336.9 kWh
• V. Electricity usage Per Day (of the typical American driver) is 11.23 kWh

How Much Electricity Does an Electric Car Use to Charge?

Have you ever asked, “How much electricity to charge an electric car?” or “How many kWh to charge an electric car?” The answer could depend on the type of charger you use. There are two primary charging options for E.V. owners: home charging and public charging stations.

The two options for home charging are: Level 1 (standard household outlet) and Level 2 (240-volt charging station).

Level 3 (D.C. fast charging) is a standard public charging option.

A Level 1 charger which uses any standard 120V, A.C. outlet is the slowest of all chargers, taking 40-50 hours to charge a BEV to 80 percent from empty and 5-6 hours for a PHEV.

A Level 2 charger is the most common type for home or workplace use and needs to be specially installed by a qualified electrician. They can charge a BEV to 80 percent in 4-10 hours and a PHEV in 1-2 hours. They draw from the grid supplied to each home, so if you’re wondering which uses the most electricity, the more powerful chargers use more electricity in the short term, but long term, they are more efficient.

Level 3 (DC Fast Chargers) are commercially available chargers that you might find in high-traffic areas such as supermarket or shopping mall car parks, airports, and other areas. They take just 20 minutes to 1hr to charge a BEV to 80 percent. Most PHEVs do not work with fast chargers.

Home Charging: Average Electricity Usage

A home charger uses 11.81 kWh per day to charge an E.V., replenishing the average range driven by Americans which is 36.92 miles per day. This consumption is based on the vehicle’s battery capacity and the charger’s efficiency.

With the climate crisis and energy availability in short supply, many electricity grids cannot support the growing demand for fast charging, which is where Gencell’s EVOX grid-independent E.V. charging based on zero-emission hydrogen & ammonia is surely the future of E.V. charging.

Costs of E.V. Charging at Home

The cost of charging at home (using Level 1 and Level 2 chargers) varies according to your geographic location, electricity cost, and your car’s battery. The U.S. Energy Information Administration maintains a chart of average per-kWh electric rates for all 50 states here. According to the agency’s latest data, Louisiana residents pay the least in the nation for electricity at an average $0.098 per kWh. Keeping an E.V. running in Hawaii costs the most, with an average cost of $0.331 for every kWh. These do not include the cost of delivery, taxes, and fees. A better way to figure this out is to divide the amount of your total bill with all charges by the number of kWh you consumed in a given month. The United States Energy Information Administration states that the average U.S. household pays about 16 cents per kWh. 

Public Charging – Average Electricity Usage

Available D.C. fast chargers require inputs of at least 480 volts and 100 amps, but newer chargers can use 1000 volts and 500 amps (up to 360 kW) with a power output of 50-360 kW for faster charging.

Public Charging Costs

According to Investopia, a Level 3 fast charger costs between $10 and $30 per charge. The cost per kilowatt hour is approximately $0.40 to $0.60. Using a Tesla supercharger will cost around $0.25 per kWh, so fully recharging to 250 miles of range would run roughly $22. These costs depend on the car’s electric battery and the local price of electricity. 

Different charging stations may have different charging speeds and prices.

Hydrogen fuel cells, as used by Gencell Energy, ensure sufficient power for fast D.C. E.V. charging stations and work in conjunction with D.C. fast chargers. They form a hybrid system that aims to achieve higher power capacity, extend battery life, and enhance energy storage efficiency, thus delivering energy storage that is both sustainable and reliable.