High public charger pricing - war on EVs?

[windydrew]

Has anyone else noticed or felt impact of increased electricity and charging costs?
Thankfully i do most of my charging at home but occasionally i need a boost if i have a few long drives back to back, and Wow has the public charger pricing gone way up

Most around me are above $0.60/kW and numerous are $0.79/kW and lots have a plug-in fee making short charges even more expensive. These are the same chargers that were in the $0.2X range when i got the truck. The only charger over 100kWh near me less than this is $0.49/ and only serves about 50kWh for some reason

With winter efficiency here lets say 1.5mi/kW, $0.60/kW is 40 cents per mile

An miraculously gas is the same price as it was in 2006 (cherrypicking some data here for impact). Just saw $2.60/gallon so lets say 20mpg for efficient gas 2025 F-150, the fuel cost would be 13 cents per mile

I hope my math is wrong but I'm just frustrated. It seems very suspect electricity has to be so expensive all of a sudden and gas can be provided at historically low costs

i can not wait to invest in a solar setup when my situation allows it

Tesla for the Win! $0.34/kWh is the usual price around me.

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[EFG]

I almost exclusively use FPL (Florida Power and Light) DCFC chargers when running around the state and Tesla outside FL. Price has been a solid $0.30 for several years from FPL without any subscription plans. However, as of 1/2026, that goes up to $0.45 systemwide. That's a 50% increase. There has been no similarly large increase in home electricity costs here in FL (maybe a few percent last year?).

I am covered by Duke Power here at home (NW of Orlando) and I am at approx $0.11 to $0.17/KW (TOU rate plan) all in (generation, fuel surcharge, and delivery) if I pull from the grid. I haven't had a power bill of any note (> $3.00 per month in electricity charges) in quite some time (except for the silly minimum grid connect charge) with my Tesla Powerwall 3(2x)and QCells/Tesla 15.4 KW roof mounted solar array. Duke does require a $1 million liability policy when you exceed 10KW on a 1:1 net metering grid tied generation agreement, that runs a couple hundred a year, so that needs to be factored in when calculating TCO. I calculated a 5.5 year term to near zero actual power bill with 2 electric vehicles and the home usage. That includes the time value of the invested money.

As others have said, solar is the way to go if you have more than 1 electric vehicle but startup costs aren't cheap and now even more so given the 30% fed rebate has evaporated. FL still gives you no Sales tax on solar equipment purchases. YMMV.

 

[K6CCC]

Many in CA will not have the option to charge at home L2, just due to their living situation.

California made one effort to improve that last part. People living in single family homes (even rentals) generally can charge at home even if only level 1. Apartment dwellers are the issue. Somewhere around a decade ago, California started requiring capability for EV charging in new apartment construction - I don't remember the exact details as I own my own house. Does not help existing apartments, but with the high amount of new apartment construction, it will help over time.

 

[evowner]

Are you sure they just didn’t put a hold (pre-authorize)on that amount and then the total was less?
I know a lot of places do that!

Same thing happened to us on a recent trip. I did not pay real close attention to the price on the pump, but I thought I saw $23. The next day there was a charge $45 from that site. I was plenty ticked off, I used the ripoff word and everything. Later that afternoon The charge for $23 came through.

 

[evowner]

Doesn’t Walmart use Electrify America chargers? They’re always super simple/intuitive to use

They weren't for us. We finally figured it out after 15 minutes. Loaded the app with money, pressed start, no charging, then my wife finally realized we had to put the phone to the panel for the charge to start.

 

[WXman]

Tesla for the Win! $0.34/kWh is the usual price around me.

In terms of COST:

If we assume 2.0 mi/kWh (which would be optimistic for most of us during winter) and $0.34 per kWh, you're looking at about $0.17 per mile. At current gas prices, that's the equivalent of a gasoline or diesel truck that gets 15 MPG.

So, there is still no savings.

To save money with a Lightning while charging publicly, you really need to get down to well under $0.15 per mile, really closer to $0.10 per mile would be where you would see a big advantage. And to do that with a Lightning would require an AVERAGE of over 3.0 mi/kWh.

Now, to switch gears and address the title of this thread in general, NO I don't think there is a "war on EVs". I think people just don't understand how much it costs to build EVs. And they don't understand how much it costs to install and maintain a row of level 3 chargers in a public place. These vehicles and the infrastructure to support them are very very expensive, and often times it takes a great deal of work just to secure the rights to a site to build chargers. And so, that's why the cost of public charging is so high.

 

[RickLightning]

I almost exclusively use FPL (Florida Power and Light) DCFC chargers when running around the state and Tesla outside FL. Price has been a solid $0.30 for several years from FPL without any subscription plans. However, as of 1/2026, that goes up to $0.45 systemwide. That's a 50% increase. There has been no similarly large increase in home electricity costs here in FL (maybe a few percent last year?).

30 cents plus tax plus fees. 38 cents with those by Daytona.

They weren't for us. We finally figured it out after 15 minutes. Loaded the app with money, pressed start, no charging, then my wife finally realized we had to put the phone to the panel for the charge to start.

Plug in. Done.

Open Ford app. Activate charger.

Or, open EA app. Activate charger.

 

[chriserx]

It comes down to what most people have mentioned

High equipment cost
High installation cost
Grid connection cost

Some things I haven't seen here yet
TOU and adjacent cost (where applicable)
Competition
EV efficiency and pricing based on mostly cars. Limits 'volume' so to make up the high install cost, price goes up. Also a factor in limiting competition

If EV trucks eventually become 'a thing', notwithstanding the AI data center trashing of electricity prices, I fully expect DCFC prices to fall.

 

[windydrew]

In terms of COST:

If we assume 2.0 mi/kWh (which would be optimistic for most of us during winter) and $0.34 per kWh, you're looking at about $0.17 per mile. At current gas prices, that's the equivalent of a gasoline or diesel truck that gets 15 MPG.

So, there is still no savings.

To save money with a Lightning while charging publicly, you really need to get down to well under $0.15 per mile, really closer to $0.10 per mile would be where you would see a big advantage. And to do that with a Lightning would require an AVERAGE of over 3.0 mi/kWh.

Now, to switch gears and address the title of this thread in general, NO I don't think there is a "war on EVs". I think people just don't understand how much it costs to build EVs. And they don't understand how much it costs to install and maintain a row of level 3 chargers in a public place. These vehicles and the infrastructure to support them are very very expensive, and often times it takes a great deal of work just to secure the rights to a site to build chargers. And so, that's why the cost of public charging is so high.

No one should use public DC chargers for a long term solution to commute. That should be for travel. I pay less than $0.09/mile average over the 70k miles I've put on my truck. I use solar at home and most of my charging is done at home at less than $0.13/kWh.

 

[RickLightning]

No one should use public DC chargers for a long term solution to commute. That should be for travel. I pay less than $0.09/mile average over the 70k miles I've put on my truck. I use solar at home and most of my charging is done at home at less than $0.13/kWh.

"unless their cost to charge at home is higher than the public charging cost".

Which is true in parts of California, CT, Massachusetts, ...

 

[windydrew]

In terms of COST:

If we assume 2.0 mi/kWh (which would be optimistic for most of us during winter) and $0.34 per kWh, you're looking at about $0.17 per mile. At current gas prices, that's the equivalent of a gasoline or diesel truck that gets 15 MPG.

So, there is still no savings.

To save money with a Lightning while charging publicly, you really need to get down to well under $0.15 per mile, really closer to $0.10 per mile would be where you would see a big advantage. And to do that with a Lightning would require an AVERAGE of over 3.0 mi/kWh.

Now, to switch gears and address the title of this thread in general, NO I don't think there is a "war on EVs". I think people just don't understand how much it costs to build EVs. And they don't understand how much it costs to install and maintain a row of level 3 chargers in a public place. These vehicles and the infrastructure to support them are very very expensive, and often times it takes a great deal of work just to secure the rights to a site to build chargers. And so, that's why the cost of public charging is so high.

Also, I just finished building a 3rd party owned Tesla Supercharger station so I know what it takes to install. It's not that hard.....

 

[gbuydos]

Rates differ regionally in the US and depending on what utility serves the area. The costs you pay is directly related to the tariff the utility charges the customer, who then passes it on to you. Also, there might be 3 charging entities between the utility and you (utility cost, customer cost {hotel} and billing software) . A lot of charging stations are on contract rate which have sunset clauses. A lot were on economic incentives to build the station. The reality is, electric rates are climbing, discount contracts are expiring so expect to see costs go up. Tesla can spread its costs around to help, buy regional charging facilities will see cost spikes.

 

[K6CCC]

If we assume 2.0 mi/kWh (which would be optimistic for most of us during winter) and $0.34 per kWh, you're looking at about $0.17 per mile. At current gas prices, that's the equivalent of a gasoline or diesel truck that gets 15 MPG.

That's assuming pretty cheap gas. Around here the cheapest gas is just under $4 per gallon, most of the major brands are closer to $5, and diesel is over $5. In some parts of the LA area it's not hard to find gas over $6. My prior truck was running 36 - 40 cents per mile using inexpensive Costco gas. I'm at 2.3 miles / KWH since I bought my truck and total cost for power has averaged just under 20 cents / KWH. The highest I ever paid for DCFC was $0.72, and the lowest was $0.15. Lots of free L2 and some free 50 KW rate DCFC. So fuel cost for my Lightning is about a quarter of what my Dodge was. Granted that my Dodge was running poorly wen I traded it in.

 

[s_c]

I appreciate all the replies. From those replies I can see public DCFC charging is just more expensive here in Massachusetts than most places (so is the electricity so that makes sense).

I was just very frustrated to see some great new charging options open up at some gas stations near me only to discover they're $0.79/kW which would put winter cost-per-mile on those fill-ups well above the cost-per-mile for a military H1 or F-650, and dang near the same as a loaded semi truck (about 80%)

It seems at this point the consensus is there may not be a war on EVs. So, that's good. Hopefully with some subsidies going away companies will find ways to provide charging services more efficiently in the future.

 

[gbuydos]

I appreciate all the replies. From those replies I can see public DCFC charging is just more expensive here in Massachusetts than most places (so is the electricity so that makes sense).

I was just very frustrated to see some great new charging options open up at some gas stations near me only to discover they're $0.79/kW which would put winter cost-per-mile on those fill-ups well above the cost-per-mile for a military H1 or F-650, and dang near the same as a loaded semi truck (about 80%)

It seems at this point the consensus is there may not be a war on EVs. So, that's good. Hopefully with some subsidies going away companies will find ways to provide charging services more efficiently in the future.

The cost is the cost. There are no efficiencies in local chargers being put in by gas stations unless its a branded corporate effort (Shell, Chevron). ChargePoint and the others have locked up Walmarts and Targets. Tesla has the most efficiencies locked up, as it their own projects. Most local chargers are a cost based recovery model.

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