Cheap EV Charging is a Myth, Costlier than Gas

Surprise! surprise! surprise!

Very view realize the high cost and the amount of electricity needed to charge EVs. I saw articles that point out it is more expensive to charge these than comparable gas powered cars, so I did my own analysis and it is true. I used the EPA ratings on these cars. Plus you will pay a higher price for the Tesla and I did not include the cost of a Level 2 charger, so the charging cost is at charging stations. I used $3 per gallon gasoline as that is about the current going rate where I am in Florida.

Model - - - - - - - - - - - - - Summer - - - - - - - - Winter

Tesla Model 3 - - - - - - - - 11.2 cents/mile - - - - 15.8 cents/mile

BMW 3 Series (gas) - - - - 10.4 cents/mile - - - - 10.4 cents/mile

Jaguar XE (gas) - - - - - - - 10.4 cents/mile - - - - 10.4 cents/mile

Cheap charging EVs at home is a myth but is the cheapest option if practical. Meaning if you only drive once or twice a week and/or short distances. However it would take several days to charge your EV so realistically you have to install a Level 2 charger in your garage. The cost isn’t cheap. About US$2,000 for parts and installation is a reasonable ballpark figure. Moving up to Level 2 means you’ll cut your charging time considerably. Many new electric cars can take up to 12 hours to charge using a Level 2 outlet, because they have bigger battery packs.

The average price to charge a 60-kilowatt-hour Tesla Model 3 at home is US$6.83, while it's $8.88 for Volvo XC40 Recharge with a a 78-kWh battery pack and $14.92 for a Ford F-150 Lightning with its larger 131 kWh battery.

The big catch is that's based on an average per-kWh cost of just over US$0.11. A huge issue is most utility companies charge for delivery, transmission, line loss, regulatory fee, debt reduction and taxes etc. In Ontario where I live you pay about 8.2 cents during off peak at night and 17 cents during peak. So pick an average of 12 cents, but the additional charges add another 8 cents or so, and we are up at 20 cents plus 13% tax and we are up to Cdn22.6 cents/k-Wh. California is popular for EVs and the EIA reports electricity prices of 24.46 cents/k-WH there.

High-speed charging at Electrify America, meanwhile, costs something on the order of US$0.41 per kWh. Some Tesla Superchargers are charging as much as US$0.50 per kWh. That would mean your $6.83 at-home Tesla Model 3 charge would instead cost US$30, while that $14.92 Lightning fill-up jumps to $53.71.

Unlike a typical 240-volt Level 2 home charger system, you will find Level 3 chargers in commercial settings because they’re prohibitively expensive for a private individual to get installed at home. Depending on an electric vehicle’s charging source and battery capacity, some drivers can charge their cars to 80% in as little as 15 to 30 minutes using a Level 3 fast charger.

The devil is in the details

If you're going to be a heavy user of 240-volt public charging stations, pay attention to the speed of the onboard charger for any EV you're considering. How much you'll pay at a public charging station depends on it. This is because charge stations often make you pay by the hour. So a car with a slow onboard charger will cost more to fill than one with a fast one. The differences can be huge: A base 2017 Nissan Leaf with the then-standard 3.3-kW onboard charger takes twice as long to charge, and twice as much electricity to fill, than a 2018 or later Nissan Leaf with the 6.6-kW onboard charger. Thankfully, many EVs now come standard with a 6.6-kW or a 7.2-kW charger.

The Tesla model 3 is rated for 267 miles of range on a single charge. Of that, 175 miles can be restored in 15 minutes by plugging into the company's Supercharger network. Based on the $30 cost at a supercharger for a full charge and 267 mile range, that is 11.2 cents per mile. Remember you will not get the full range because in reality you are not going to run your battery down to zero. Charging stations are not as plentiful as gas stations. However to compare fairly I assume using a full charge to full tank of gas.

These EVs are really not practical in Canada and northern US states for about 1/2 the year. It is called winter. Battery performance degrades in cold weather and your batteries also have to power the cabin heater and windshield defroster. An AAA study found range can be reduced by 41% on average when the temperature drops from 75 degrees Fahrenheit to 20 degrees and the climate control system is used to heat the cabin.

Car.com did a road test with a Tesla model Y and the range dropped over 50% at 0 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. I also note a drop in hot weather which they did not comment on so I assume it is air conditioning.

The BMW 3 Series has been one of the best go-to small, luxury sport sedans for over 40 years.

With a starting price of around $44,000, the BMW 3 Series is not only cheaper than most of its gasoline competition, it's cheaper than the Tesla Model 3 ($55,000) too, not counting tax incentives. EPA rates it at 29 mpg with 15.6 gallon tank. So a 452 mile range and gas at $3/gallon would be $46.80 = 10.4 cents per mile.

The 2020 Jaguar XE ($30,500) borrows its looks from the more expensive side of its brand's lineup. Because that brand is Jaguar, the XE looks very, very good. What's also impressive with the XE is that its all-wheel-drive system is able to send a 10:90 split to the front:rear wheels, the other way around with a 90:10 split front:rear, and 50:50 for optimal traction when you're really stuck. EPA rates it at 29 mpg (25 city, 34 Hwy) and has a 16.6 gallon fuel tank. So a 481 mile range and gas at $3/gallon would be $49.80 = 10.4 cents cents per mile.

Conclusion

I did not analyze other cars and there is many similar and many with much better gas mileage. On average Americans drive around 14,000 miles per year. That BMW 3 Series would cost the average driver $1,456 per year at $3.00 gas, so less than your $2,000 Level 2 charger. In essence you drive for free in your first year with your fossil fuel burner. Also keep in mind your EV is really a 50% coal burner because almost 50% of electrical generation in the US is from coal. Thats said, if you make mostly short trips and can get away with over night charging at home for less than $0.20 per k-Wh, it can be far cheaper with an EV.