The Cheapest Times For Electric Car Charging

Charging an electric car isn’t always as easy as plugging into the outlet and going on your merry way. Sometimes, we have peak and off-peak electricity timeframes, adding or subtracting the overall price to charge a car, truck, or SUV.

With at-home charging being what most EV owners do, it can’t hurt to schedule *better* times to give your car the juice it needs. After all, electricity can spike in price during times when the grid where you live experiences the most action, often when people come home from work. Think of this like traffic hours in big cities. More time spent burning gas and spending money you don’t want to.

That same mentality can be used for charging your electric car, essentially nudging you into an off-peak charging period where your electricity rate will stay normal. Remember, not all times are the best or cheapest times to charge an EV. It can vary and will cost you a lot more money to plug in during busier hours. We’ll cover this deeply in the following sections, so stay tuned!

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from energy-related websites, including the Department of Energy, Blink Charging, and other utility companies.

Charging During Peak Hours Is A Major No-No

• 7 AM to 11 PM are the most expensive times (on average) for energy consumption.
• After 11 PM into the early morning is your best bet for cheap EV charging.

When deciding if it’s time to plug in your electric car, there are some things to remember. First, charging during times when everyone else is doing the same or using energy will mean higher energy pricing than you pay at the month’s end. For instance, many professionals agree that plugging in your EV from 11 PM to 5 AM will be the cheapest for your car’s charging, especially in the long term. Because this may vary by location, use this figure as a rough guess when finding cheaper times to charge. Again, you are better off waiting until after 6 AM to about 8, 9, or 10 PM before using a lot of power for anything.

The Fewer Appliances And Lights You Have On While Charging, The Better

Another thing to be wary of when finding the cheapest time to charge an EV is what else you plan to do while it uses power. Typically, you’ll plug in your car when you get home, around 5 or 6 PM, even though this is when every other person decides to do the same or turn on the washer/dryer, dishwasher, oven, lights, etc. The more demand locally on the grid, the more money you pay per kWh. That could be as little as ~16 cents per kWh or much more if the grid is at its peak.

It Costs Nearly 16 Cents Per kWh To Charge An EV On Average

• It typically costs a U.S. household 16 cents per kWh when charging an EV.
• Later charge times bring lower energy costs per kWh.

According to the Department of Energy, the average U.S. household spends 16 cents PER kWh to charge an electric vehicle. Assuming you charge once weekly and have a battery needing 375 kWh each month (you get about 3-4 miles per kWh, for reference), that comes out to around $60 monthly for your EV charging. However, that 16-cent estimate is based on the average and is on the cheaper side following non-peak timeframes. When you plug your car in once a week at home, you’re not usually spending more than $15 in total to get from 0-100 percent.

That said, if it’s between peak hours (usually 7 AM to 11 PM), that’s when 16 cents could quickly exceed 20. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so wait it out. Even much later, like closer to 11 PM or 12 AM will bring lower costs to you as the energy bill receiver.

These myths about fast-charging cars may be worth reading.

Late-Night Is The Sweet Spot For EV Charging

Skip Daytime Hours To Save More Money

• Waiting until after dark to plug in your EV can save money.
• Most EV drivers plug in after 8/9 PM.

One of the most important factors when deciding when to charge your car is the time of day/night. Per the EPA, as much as 90 percent of EV charging happens overnight at home for vehicle owners, with this also being THE cheapest time to do it. Again, you may have a few hours to spare in the early morning (before 7/8 AM) to plug in your EV or PHEV, but most require 8+ hours to fully charge. Therefore, the perfect schedule is to wait until after dinner to plug in your car and allow it to juice up until the morning when you leave for work/school.

Try To Utilize Free Public Chargers To Save Money

Another way to have cheaper charging pricing, regardless of the time of day, is to find free chargers in your area. There will typically be fast charging free at office buildings, malls, attractions, parks, and apartment complexes. If your job or school offers 15-minute free charging or something like that, plug in as much as possible before heading home. Then you save the 16 cents per kWh and schedule at your house and can enjoy public energy while out and about.

Even charging a Tesla using a Supercharger can sometimes be free and fast, so any electric vehicle owner can try this.

Free EV charging does exist and is more widely available than many realize. It’s worth checking out free stations in your area and heading to them for a quick charge.

Your Energy Costs For The Year Can Stay Under $800 If You Follow A Charging Schedule

• Drivers who charge during off-peak times could spend as little as $720 each year they charge their vehicles at home.

Suppose you try to stick with a charging schedule outside “normal” or in-demand timeframes for electricity and energy usage in your community. In that case, the price to keep your car moving will decrease significantly. As we said, charging your EV can come with surprise price hikes during peak energy hours (generally 7 AM to 11 PM during the week). Following the EPA’s $60 per month energy bill for electric car charging, you could spend as little as $720 for a year of driving emission-free!

Gas sometimes costs people a few hundred each month, if not more, so this can mean significant savings for electric drivers. Again, there are plenty of reasons people are making the switch. That, plus free charging stations, makes this a great long-term cost-reducing effort for those in the market for a new vehicle. Even the fastest-charging vehicles use power, whether saving you money or not, depending on when you plug in. Schedule, schedule, schedule!