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electricity rates. Consumers
can usually save even more by
charging at home overnight
because of lower off-peak rates.
Public charging prices vary
depending on location because
utilities differ in prices and
regulations. According to 2018
data, average retail prices for
home electricity were under
10 cents per kWh in Louisiana
and more than 30 cents in
Hawaii. Tesla currently offers
unlimited free Supercharger
use for the Model S and Model X
for the original owner. Model 3
owners pay the going rate of 26
cents per kWh, or about $8.84
for 100 miles of range. For your
state’s costs, go to energy.gov/
maps/egallon, and also check
for special utility rate plans.
ARE THERE ENOUGH
CHARGING STATIONS
TO GO AROUND?
Tesla, with about 80 percent of the
U.S. EV market, has an extensive
Supercharger network: 762 stations
in 47 states, and expected to grow
to 1,130 stations in every state soon.
Most stations have multiple chargers, but these
work only for Teslas. For other EVs, companies such
as ChargePoint, EVgo, and Electrify America are
continuing to build their own national networks along
highways and other high-trafficked areas. (Tesla
owners can buy adapters so that their vehicles
will also work on non-Tesla chargers.) ChargePoint
has more than 108,000 chargers. EVgo has more
than 1,200 high-speed chargers nationwide. The
Department of Energy estimates that there are
nearly 30,000 charging stations, most with multiple
chargers, across the U.S. and Canada.
To assess the charging experience and availability,
Consumer Reports drove to public charging stations
along the Interstate 91 corridor in Connecticut,
a busy stretch near our Auto Test Center that’s
filled with commuters and long-distance drivers.
Our experience using the chargers was mostly
positive. At the 55 stations we visited, representing
141 chargers (an average of more than two chargers
per station), all but four chargers were in good
working order. A majority of stations had at least
one available port, so we didn’t have to wait.
Most charging is still done at home (more than
80 percent), often overnight. “If people have a place
to plug in, that’s the cheapest and most convenient
option,” says Shannon Baker-Branstetter, manager
of cars and energy policy at Consumer Reports in
Washington, D.C. Standard 110-volt home charging,
called Level 1, can take 17 to 25 hours to add
100 miles of driving range, according to ChargePoint.
At-home 240-volt charging, called Level 2, uses
plugs that fit heavy-duty appliance outlets, such as
those for a dryer, and can add 100 miles of range in
4 to 5 hours. DC fast chargers, found at some public
charging stations, can add 100 miles in just over
30 minutes. For longer trips, we recommend that
drivers check the PlugShare and Electrify America
apps, which have trip planning tools. PlugShare also
has user reviews so that drivers can tell whether
certain public charging stations tend to be crowded.