MYTHBUSTING

80% of EV Charging Happens at Home, Not on the Road!

February 1, 2025

80% of EV owners charge at home overnight with little to zero need for public charging due to the increased range of today’s EVs.
Public charging stations are used less frequently due to cost and convenience factors.
The average home charging session costs less than a latte at Starbucks.

If you think electric vehicle (EV) owners spend their days hunting for charging stations, think again. The reality? About 80% of EV charging happens at home. Public chargers get all the attention, but most owners barely use them. Why? Because home charging is cheaper, easier, and eliminates the hassle of finding a station.

According to the International Energy Agency, “The share of EV charging at home is high, such as the United States (83%) and Canada (80%).” That means the so-called “charging infrastructure crisis” is mostly a myth—at least for those who charge at home overnight while they sleep.

_{A Volkswagen ID.4 electric vehicle is charging at a Grizzl-E Level 2 charger in an indoor parking garage. The charging cable is plugged into the vehicle, with a green indicator light showing active charging.}

Home Charging Wins: Cheaper, Easier, and All You Really Need

Public fast chargers get all the headlines, but most EV owners rarely rely on them. According to J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study, EV drivers rate home charging significantly higher than public charging. One of the biggest reasons? Cost.

Home charging costs less than $60 per month on average, according to the U.S. Department of Energy—less than a few Starbucks trips.
Public fast chargers, on the other hand, can cost nearly as much as gasoline per mile, depending on electricity rates and station fees.

Bar chart comparing monthly fueling costs of EVs and gasoline. EV charging at home costs around $65, while gasoline costs over $120.

Bar chart comparing monthly EV charging costs. Home charging costs around $65 per month, while public DC fast charging costs over $200 per month.

A study by Recurrent Auto analyzed data from over 18,000 EVs across all 50 U.S. states and found that the average daily driving distance ranges from about 20 to 45 miles, depending on the state.

This indicates that most EV owners don’t need to stop at public chargers regularly. Home charging easily covers their daily driving needs, making the reliance on public stations far less critical than many assume.

Bar chart comparing EV charging costs by state for small, average, and large battery sizes. California has the highest costs, exceeding $30 for large batteries, while other states vary between $5 and $25.

Bar chart comparing cost per mile for EV charging at home and gasoline. EV charging at home costs around $0.055 per mile, while gasoline costs over $0.10 per mile.

The Convenience Factor: Why Plugging In at Home Just Makes Sense

Think about how you charge your phone. Do you go out looking for a charging station every day? Of course not. You plug it in at night, and it’s ready to go in the morning.

That’s exactly how EV owners treat their cars. No lines. No waiting. No hunting for a charging station.

Most EV owners simply plug in at home, wake up with a full battery, and rarely need to use public stations unless they take long trips.

_{Pie chart showing EV driver charging preferences. 86% prefer home charging, while 14% rely on public charging.}

Are Public Chargers Useless? No, But They’re Not What You Think

Now, public chargers do serve a purpose—especially for apartment dwellers or long road trips. But for the majority of daily driving, they’re an afterthought.

The average U.S. commute is just 37 miles round trip, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation—well within the range of any modern EV.
Even the lowest-range EVs today exceed 150 miles per charge, meaning most drivers only need to charge every few days.

That’s why EV owners aren’t constantly looking for chargers—they don’t need them.

_{Bar chart of Satisfaction Levels: Home Charging vs. Public Charging – Illustrates that home charging satisfaction (85/100) is significantly higher than public charging (50/100).}

The Takeaway: Home Charging is the Secret Weapon

Most of what you hear about EV charging problems only applies to road trips or people without home charging options. But for the average driver? Charging at home is just as normal as charging your phone.

Want to avoid range anxiety? Skip the public chargers and plug in at home.

SOURCES | FEATURED IMAGE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, RECURRENT, STATISTA, J.D. POWER | TESLA

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AUTHOR:

RANDI BENTIA

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