Last Updated on May 30, 2023 by Rose Morah
If you are looking for the cheapest way to charge your Tesla, this article will provide you with some of the best tips for charging it at a lower cost, based on our experiences and other Tesla owners.
1. Avoid charging at some 3rd party EV public chargers
From our experience and other Tesla owners, 3rd party public chargers can be very expensive.
Some will be the same cost as gas and more expensive than charging at a Supercharger.
A good example is Blink.
Blink is not only more expensive than the Tesla Supercharger but is one of the most expensive chargers we have come across when public charging our Teslas.
Additionally, 80% of Tesla owners who have used them to charge found it to be very expensive.
If you are looking to charge cheaper, I’d suggest you compare the cost of charging at a Supercharger to that of other 3rd party public chargers in your location.
| NOTE: ChargePoint can be cheaper or more expensive than Tesla Supercharger depending on your location. Additionally, you can find free ChargePoint chargers to charge your Tesla. |
See also: Plugshare VS ChargePoint: Which Is Better?
2. Charge at home
Most Tesla owners have saved quite a lot by charging from home compared to charging at public chargers.
From our experiences of owning a Tesla and other EVs, I can tell you for a fact that EV savings are reflected through home charging.
For us, charging at home is usually about five times cheaper. When we only had one EV, we barely saw any change in our electric bill. But after adding more EVs, the monthly energy bill increased by only $50 /month.
We also realized that we pay double at most Superchargers compared to the home charging rates.
We have also managed to charge our Tesla cheaper at home by charging off-peak.
| NOTE: Charging at home is not a cheap option for everyone. For some, it can be costly due to some of the factors listed at the end of this article. Also, if your power company offers off-peak hour charging, you can take advantage of that to help lower your home charging costs. |
See also:
Reasons Why Your Tesla Is Not Charging At Home (With Solutions).
Tesla Home Charging Options (Is Tesla home charger worth it?)
3. Take advantage of available free public chargers
You can reduce your monthly Tesla charging cost by charging at free public chargers.
As mentioned above, ChargePoint usually has some free public chargers. Additionally, the best way to find free chargers near you is through PlugShare.
Whenever I’m going on long road trips, I normally use the app to find free chargers. This way I’m able to cut the cost of my road trip and use that money elsewhere.
But, it is important to note that some free chargers are not 100% free. You may have to pay a parking fee, which is not that much.
See also: How To Find Free EV Charging Stations In The US and Europe.
4. Install Solar Panels
If you have the money and happen to live in a location that gets the most sun throughout the year, investing in Solar Panels could save you money.
I recommend going through the following articles on Solar Panels installation to know how much it will cost you and if it will be worth it for you.
How To Calculate The Solar Panels Needed To Charge An EV.
Is Renting Tesla Solar Panels Worth It? (Read This Before Leasing).
Solar Panel Home Installation: What To Consider Before Installing.
How Many Solar Panels You Need To Power Your House (Complete Guide)
3 Factors that affect the cost of charging at home
- Your utility provider
Different utility providers have different electricity rates. Some are expensive, others have very good packages for EV owners.
And as mentioned earlier, some will have off-peak hours which will in turn help you save more when charging your EV at home.
- Your location
Where you live will determine whether you get to charge your Tesla at cheaper or more expensive rates.
Some people pay for electricity for as low as .01/kWh to .10/kWh and more. Others get free electricity.
A good example is Fort Worth. It’s free at these hours>> 2000-0500.
When we stayed in Atlanta, we would pay .01/kWh at night.
- Depends on how much you drive your Tesla
It goes without saying that, if you cover more miles a day or if you always arrive home with a very low charge, your charging cost may end up being higher than those who drive less.
In conclusion, the cost of charging a Tesla will definitely vary between different Tesla owners.
Therefore, it is important to find out what works for you!
