Charging cost varies widely by location, electricity rate, and whether you're charging at home or on a public fast charger — but the gap between the two is usually significant.
Home charging cost
At typical home electricity rates, a full charge for a mid-size EV battery often costs a fraction of an equivalent tank of gas, since residential electricity is generally cheaper per mile than gasoline in most regions.
Public fast-charging cost
DC fast charging carries a premium for speed and convenience, priced either per kWh or per minute depending on the network. It's still often cheaper than gasoline per mile, but the gap narrows considerably compared to home charging.
The bigger picture
Most owners see the largest savings from charging primarily at home and treating public fast charging as an occasional convenience rather than the default — which is also usually the faster, less-planning-required routine anyway.
Do all public chargers cost the same?
No — pricing varies significantly by network, location, and even time of day, which is part of why checking a station's details before committing to a stop is worth the extra few seconds.