Outdoor & Garage · South
Cost to run a ev charger (level 2) in North Carolina
At North Carolina’s average residential rate of 14.95¢ per kWh, a ev charger (level 2) drawing 7200W for 3 hours a day, at a 100% duty cycle, costs about $98.30 per 30.44 use days. Change the numbers below to match how you actually use yours.
EV Charger (Level 2) electricity cost calculator
Use watts and running time, or enter energy from a label, meter or completed load. Your inputs stay on this device.
Enter a number within each field’s limits to calculate your cost.
Your estimated energy cost
7,884 kWh across 365 use days per year
Power mode includes your selected duty cycle. The monthly figure assumes 30.44 use days; the annual total uses your selected use days. These are estimates at the entered rate.
Energy charges only. Fixed utility fees, purchase, installation and maintenance are excluded. See the calculation method and sources.
Why the cost differs in North Carolina
North Carolina has the 14th cheapest residential electricity of the 50 US states and Washington, DC we track, at 14.95¢ per kWh against a national average of 18.16¢. That is -17.7% compared with the national figure. North Carolina runs a nuclear and natural gas mix alongside one of the largest solar buildouts in the Southeast, keeping rates below average. Retail service is regulated. Summer cooling drives the annual peak, and because electric heating is widespread, the winter shoulder carries more load than in neighbouring states with more gas heating.
For this appliance specifically, the difference works out to a saving of $253 a year against what the same ev charger (level 2) would cost at the national average rate. Run the identical appliance in Hawaii and it would cost $3,720 a year; in Nevada it would cost $1,003. That spread of $2,717 is entirely down to location.
Reducing use by 100 kWh would save $14.95 in energy charges at North Carolina's average rate, compared with $18.16 at the US average. Whether a replacement appliance pays for itself also depends on its purchase price and the energy it actually saves.
Use the energy and delivery price that applies to your own utility plan in North Carolina. If your plan has time-of-use prices, calculate each period separately or use a rate weighted by the electricity used in each period. Fixed monthly fees are outside this appliance energy-cost estimate.
| Location | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina this page | 14.95¢ | $98.30 | $1,179 |
| US average | 18.16¢ | $119 | $1,432 |
| Nevada cheapest state | 12.72¢ | $83.63 | $1,003 |
| Hawaii most expensive | 47.18¢ | $310 | $3,720 |
North Carolina electricity rate trend
Rates in North Carolina have moved from 15.08¢ to 14.95¢ per kWh between September 2025 and August 2026. The national residential average changed +3.4% from the same month a year earlier.
2025-09 to 2026-08 · cents per kWh
About running a ev charger (level 2)
EV charging cost depends on the electricity billed, the charging tariff and any additional fees. The charger rating is a power limit, not the energy used for every hour plugged in. Off-peak savings depend on your actual tariff and charging schedule.
How we worked this out
The arithmetic is simple and we would rather show it than hide it. Divide watts by 1,000 to get kilowatts, multiply by hours of use and by the duty cycle to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your rate:
7200W ÷ 1000 × 3h = 21.600 kWh/day × 14.95¢ = $3.229 per day
One honest caveat: North Carolina’s figure is a state average published by the EIA. Your own utility’s tariff, any time-of-use pricing, fixed monthly service charges and local taxes all shift the real number. Put your actual per-kWh rate into the calculator above for a figure that reflects your bill.
How to estimate your ev charger (level 2) electricity use
Charging power multiplied by actual charging time estimates energy taken from the outlet. Charger rating alone does not determine driving cost, because the car may draw less power or stop charging before the scheduled period ends.
The watts-and-hours preset is a charging scenario, not a forecast of your mileage or vehicle efficiency. Charging installation and vehicle purchase costs are separate.
- Use energy recorded by your charger or electricity meter where available. That reading may already include charging losses, so do not add them again.
- For driving cost, multiply distance by an appropriate energy-per-mile figure and the electricity price. Check whether that efficiency figure includes charging losses.
- Battery energy added differs from wall energy when losses are excluded. Keep those boundaries consistent instead of mixing battery capacity and metered consumption.
- Use the rate for the charging period. Public charging can include session, parking or time-based fees outside this electricity-only estimate.
Calculation and data sources
Daily kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × duty cycle ÷ 100. Multiply kWh by your rate in dollars per kWh to get cost. The wattage, hours and duty cycle above are editable example assumptions, not EIA measurements of this appliance.
The US and state average prices come from the EIA for August 2026. A state average is a starting point; your bill is the better source for your tariff.
Questions about ev charger (level 2) running costs
How much electricity does a ev charger (level 2) use?
In this example, 7200 watts at a 100% duty cycle uses 7.200 kWh per scheduled hour. At 3.00 hours per day, that is 21.600 kWh per use day. Your model and operating conditions can differ.
How much does it cost to run a ev charger (level 2) for an hour?
The default example costs $1.076 per scheduled hour at the North Carolina average of 14.95¢/kWh for August 2026. This includes the selected duty cycle. Enter your watts, duty cycle and electricity price for your own estimate.
Does the annual cost assume I use it every day?
The reference tables use 365 days at the stated charging hours; monthly figures use 30.44 use days. These are illustrative schedules, not a prediction of driving distance. For recorded sessions, use kWh per use and your actual charging frequency, or use the EV distance and battery top-up calculator.
Why does electricity running cost vary by state?
For August 2026, the EIA state averages range from 12.72¢/kWh in Nevada to 47.18¢/kWh in Hawaii. Equal electricity use costs more at a higher rate. Your utility tariff can differ from the state average.
Should I add charging losses to a charger or billing reading?
Price the kWh actually billed without adding another loss factor. EPA and FuelEconomy.gov consumption ratings also include charge-source losses. Battery or dashboard readings may use a different boundary; check their documentation before estimating billed electricity.
Does the charger rating determine my driving cost?
No. Rated charging power is a limit, while driving cost depends on energy used over a distance and the price paid to replenish it. Actual charging power can vary and charging can stop before the car is unplugged.
Will off-peak charging halve my cost?
There is no fixed saving for every tariff or driver. Compare the actual unit rates, fees and electricity charged during each period. A time-of-use tariff may also change the cost of other household use.