EV Road Trip Charging: Public Fast Charging vs Home

Cost example updated November 4, 2026

The answer up front

Two rates, one car, one trip. Home electricity runs 18.16 cents a kilowatt-hour (US Energy Information Administration, August 2026). Public DC fast charging averages 54 cents a kilowatt-hour (Paren, third quarter 2026). At the example car's 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles, that is 4.9 cents a mile at home against 14.6 cents a mile on public fast chargers, about 3 times as much per mile. Per 100 miles: $4.90 at home, $14.58 public. On a 1,000-mile trip: $49.03 at home, $145.80 public.

The trip example

One trip, one set of inputs, so every line can be checked. The car is a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, rated by the EPA at 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles combined (123 MPGe, 327 miles of range). The trip is 1,000 miles. The method is simple: miles times kilowatt-hours per 100 miles, divided by 100, times the price per kilowatt-hour.

1,000 miles at 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles is 270 kilowatt-hours. At 18.16 cents a kilowatt-hour, home charging for the trip is 270 times $0.1816, or $49.03. At 54 cents a kilowatt-hour, public fast charging for the same 270 kilowatt-hours is $145.80. The gap is $96.77 on one trip. The EPA consumption figure is measured at the wall, so charging losses are already inside it, and no extra loss factor is added here.

Formula

The trip math is one line: miles times kilowatt-hours per 100 miles, divided by 100, times the price per kilowatt-hour. The car is a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, rated by the EPA at 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles combined, 123 MPGe, 327 miles of range. The trip is 1,000 miles, so 1,000 times 27 divided by 100 is 270 kilowatt-hours.

At 18.16 cents a kilowatt-hour, home charging for the trip is 270 times $0.1816, or $49.03. At 54 cents a kilowatt-hour, public fast charging for the same 270 kilowatt-hours is $145.80. The gap is $96.77 on one trip. Per 100 miles: $4.90 at home, $14.58 public. Per mile: 4.9 cents at home against 14.6 cents on public fast chargers, about 3 times as much per mile.

Leaving home with a full charge, the first 327 miles run on home electricity: 88.3 kilowatt-hours at 18.16 cents, or $16.03. The remaining 673 miles run on public chargers: 181.7 kilowatt-hours at 54 cents, or $98.12. The trip total is $114.16 as the page states it, $31.64 less than the all-public $145.80. A 10 to 80 percent stop adds about 229 miles and about 61.8 kilowatt-hours, about $33.37 at the public average. A year of driving at 13,489 miles uses 3,642 kilowatt-hours: $661 a year at home against $1,967 a year on public fast chargers, a gap of $1,306 a year. For scale only, a 30 mile per gallon gas sedan on the same 1,000 miles burns 33.3 gallons, which is $135.70; the public-charged EV at $145.80 sits $10.10 above that gas line, and the home-charged EV at $49.03 sits $86.67 below it.

Home charging: the 18.16 cent rate

The home rate is the national residential average from the US Energy Information Administration's Electric Power Monthly: 18.16 cents per kilowatt-hour in August 2026, released October 23, 2026. The EIA's October 2026 Short-Term Energy Outlook puts the 2026 full-year residential average at 18.2 cents, so the August figure sits on the forecast line. Rates vary by state and utility: the same EIA release puts Nevada at 12.72 cents and Hawaii at 47.18 cents in August 2026, so a driver's own bill moves the home column. The US Department of Energy notes that about 80 percent of charging happens at home, which is why the home rate carries most real-world charging.

At the example car's efficiency, a year of driving at 13,489 miles (the annual mileage in Qmerit's 2026 analysis) uses 3,642 kilowatt-hours: $661 a year at home against $1,967 a year on public fast chargers, a gap of $1,306 a year.

Public fast charging: the 54 cent average

The public rate is Paren's national average for DC fast charging: $0.540 per kilowatt-hour in the third quarter of 2026, reported October 13, 2026, up from $0.538 in the second quarter. Qmerit's mid-2026 analysis puts the same average at $0.53, so two trackers land within a cent of each other. The average hides a spread: DCFC Tracker monthly data for July 2026 put Electrify America's average peak rate near 62 cents and Tesla's average standard Supercharger rate near 60 cents for other brands, with Tesla members near 43 cents. Membership and subscription plans change the public column, and none is counted in this example.

Time: minutes on the road, hours at home

The US Department of Transportation puts DC fast charging for a battery electric vehicle at 20 minutes to 1 hour to 80 percent, and Level 2 charging at 4 to 10 hours from empty, adding 10 to 20 miles of range per hour. The Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center puts DC fast charging at upwards of 200 miles of range in under an hour. On the example car, a 10 to 80 percent stop adds about 229 miles (70 percent of 327) and about 61.8 kilowatt-hours, which costs about $33.37 at the public average. Fast charging slows as the battery fills, which is why times are quoted to 80 percent rather than full.

Leave home full, and the trip gets cheaper

A road trip rarely starts on an empty battery. If the car leaves home with a full charge, the first 327 miles run on home electricity: 88.3 kilowatt-hours at 18.16 cents, or $16.03. The remaining 673 miles run on public chargers: 181.7 kilowatt-hours at 54 cents, or $98.12. The trip total is $114.16, which is $31.64 less than the all-public $145.80. The home charge at the start is the cheapest energy on the whole trip.

Against a gas sedan on the same trip

For scale only, a 30 mile per gallon gas sedan on the same 1,000 miles burns 33.3 gallons. At $4.071 a gallon (EIA national average, week ending August 31, 2026), that is $135.70. The public-charged EV at $145.80 sits $10.10 above that gas line on this trip, and the home-charged EV at $49.03 sits $86.67 below it. The plug, not the car, decides which side of the gas line the trip lands on.

What these numbers do not settle

Honest gaps, stated here rather than settled quietly. First, rates vary: public prices move by network, state, and time of day, and home rates move by utility and state, so any one driver's columns differ from these national averages. Second, membership: subscription and member rates run below the public average used here, and none is counted. Third, highway driving: the example uses the EPA combined figure, and steady highway speeds raise kilowatt-hours per 100 miles above it, which raises both columns. Fourth, session extras: idle fees, session fees, and parking charges vary by network and are not in this example. Fifth, home install cost: the price of installing a home charger is a separate one-time cost, covered on the home charger install page, and it is not in these per-trip figures. Sixth, cold weather: winter temperatures cut range and raise energy use, which raises both columns. The rates are dated snapshots, not promises, and pump and plug prices where you live will differ.

Sources: US Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, August 2026 residential average 18.16 cents per kilowatt-hour, released October 23, 2026; EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2026, 2026 residential forecast 18.2 cents; Paren State of the EV Charging Industry, third quarter 2026, national DC fast charging average $0.540 per kilowatt-hour, reported October 13, 2026; Qmerit 2026 home versus public charging analysis, DC fast average $0.53 and 13,489 miles a year; DCFC Tracker monthly network data, July 2026; US Department of Transportation charging speeds guide, updated January 31, 2025; US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center charging basics; EPA fuel economy figures for the 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles combined, 123 MPGe, 327 miles of range; EIA national average regular gas, week ending August 31, 2026. Figures checked November 6, 2026.

Calculation transparency

Scope. One trip, one car, two plugs: a 1,000-mile road trip in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, charged at home at the national residential average against public DC fast charging at the national average. The gas sedan line is for scale only.

Rules and time period. Home electricity at 18.16 cents a kilowatt-hour (EIA Electric Power Monthly, August 2026, released October 23, 2026); public DC fast charging at 54 cents a kilowatt-hour (Paren, third quarter 2026, reported October 13, 2026); the car at 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles combined, 123 MPGe, 327 miles of range; the EPA consumption figure is measured at the wall, so charging losses are already inside it and no extra loss factor is added. The gas comparison uses the EIA national average for the week ending August 31, 2026, as the page states it.

Scope and limitations. Educational estimate only. Rates vary by network, state, and time of day, and home rates move by utility and state, so any one driver columns differ from these national averages. Membership and subscription rates run below the public average and none is counted. The example uses the EPA combined figure, and steady highway speeds raise kilowatt-hours per 100 miles above it. Idle fees, session fees, parking charges, and the one-time cost of installing a home charger are not in these per-trip figures. Insurance quotes, gas prices, and local rates vary by driver and address. Get a real quote for the same car, coverage, and loan before you decide.

Source links checked November 6, 2026. Figures: EIA Electric Power Monthly, August 2026 residential average 18.16 cents per kilowatt-hour, released October 23, 2026, and EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2026, 2026 residential forecast 18.2 cents; Paren State of the EV Charging Industry, third quarter 2026, national DC fast charging average $0.540 per kilowatt-hour, reported October 13, 2026; Qmerit 2026 home versus public charging analysis, DC fast average $0.53 and 13,489 miles a year; US Department of Transportation charging speeds guide, updated January 31, 2025; EPA fuel economy figures for the 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles combined, 123 MPGe, 327 miles of range; EIA national average regular gas, week ending August 31, 2026. The EIA outlook forecast, the Qmerit figures, the DCFC Tracker network data, and the US Department of Energy home-charging share are named only, not linked.

Primary sources: EIA Electricity Monthly Update; Paren US EV Fast Charging Q3 2026; EPA fuel economy, 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD; US DOT charging speeds; Qmerit DC fast charger guide; EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update. How the numbers are calculated is written down on the methodology page, and every source is listed on the sources page.

Definitions

Kilowatt-hour. The unit electricity is sold in. The example trip uses 270 kilowatt-hours: 1,000 miles at 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles.

DC fast charging. Public fast charging that sends direct current straight to the battery. The US Department of Transportation puts it at 20 minutes to 1 hour to 80 percent.

Level 2 charging. Slower AC charging on a 240-volt circuit, common at home. The US Department of Transportation puts it at 4 to 10 hours from empty, adding 10 to 20 miles of range per hour.

MPGe. Miles per gallon equivalent, the EPA way of rating an electric car in gas terms. The example car is rated 123 MPGe combined.

Home charging. Charging at home, at the national residential average of 18.16 cents a kilowatt-hour in this example. The US Department of Energy notes that about 80 percent of charging happens at home.

Public fast charging. Charging at a public DC fast charger, at the national average of 54 cents a kilowatt-hour in this example.

10 to 80 percent stop. A fast charging stop that fills the battery from 10 percent to 80 percent. On the example car it adds about 229 miles and about 61.8 kilowatt-hours, about $33.37 at the public average. Fast charging slows as the battery fills, which is why times are quoted to 80 percent rather than full.

Charging losses. Electricity lost between the wall and the battery. The EPA consumption figure is measured at the wall, so charging losses are already inside it, and no extra loss factor is added here.

Questions people actually ask

How much does it cost to charge an EV on a road trip?

On this example, a 1,000-mile trip in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $145.80 on public fast chargers against about $49.03 charged at home, a gap of about $96.77. Leaving home with a full charge brings the trip to $114.16, with the first 327 miles on home electricity.

How much does public DC fast charging cost per kilowatt-hour?

About 54 cents a kilowatt-hour on the national average: Paren's third quarter 2026 average is $0.540, up from $0.538 in the second quarter, and Qmerit's mid-2026 analysis puts it at $0.53. Individual networks run higher or lower, and member rates run below the average.

How much does home charging cost per kilowatt-hour?

About 18.16 cents a kilowatt-hour on the national residential average: the US Energy Information Administration's Electric Power Monthly figure for August 2026. State averages in the same release run from 12.72 cents in Nevada to 47.18 cents in Hawaii.

How long does a fast charging stop take?

The US Department of Transportation puts DC fast charging at 20 minutes to 1 hour to 80 percent. On the example car, a 10 to 80 percent stop adds about 229 miles and about 61.8 kilowatt-hours, about $33.37 at the public average. Charging slows as the battery fills, which is why times are quoted to 80 percent.

What does the 1,000-mile example assume?

A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 27 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles combined, 327 miles of range, a 1,000-mile trip using 270 kilowatt-hours, home electricity at 18.16 cents a kilowatt-hour, and public DC fast charging at 54 cents a kilowatt-hour. Change any rate and the total moves with it.

Related: See how much it costs to charge a Tesla at home, the cheaper side of the comparison.

Related: Run the trip math in the EV vs. gas calculator.

Related: Taking the gas car instead? See what a family road trip costs in gas.

Running the numbers on a used EV? See how fast used electric cars lose value. Shopping the buying side? See the used EV guide. Pricing the home side? See what a home EV charger costs to install. Comparing electric against gas overall? See EV versus gas.