How much does it cost to recharge the plug-in electric vehicle?
The cost to recharge the battery will vary significantly by the model, battery size and amount of recharge required. Level 1 charging will draw about 1.2 to 1.5 kilowatts of energy for each hour at full charging levels. This is similar to a large in home space heater or toaster oven. To estimate the cost to charge, take the cost per kilowatt hour from your electric bill and multiply it by 1.5 and you’ll have an estimate of the cost per hour to charge the car at Level 1, 110 volt charging. BGE’s average residential rate is currently 14 cents per kilowatt – hour. The cost to provide 8 hours of charging at Level 1 is about 14 cents per kilowatt-hour times 1.5 kilowatts per hour times 8 hours or about $1.68. That can be pretty good when compared to the cost of a gallon of gasoline at $3 or more! If the batteries are recharged on time-of-use rates at off-peak times, the cost can be less. Level 2 charging will draw about 3.3 kilowatts of energy for each hour at full charging levels. This cou
