EV Owners Waking Up to $63 Monthly Charging Bills: “I Thought This Was Supposed to Be Cheap!”

J.D. Power just dropped the 2026 EV Home Charging Study and it’s giving mixed vibes:

86% of charging still happens at home (as expected), but the average monthly bill climbed to $63 — up $5 from last year.

Translation:

Gas stations are laughing while your electricity provider is quietly sliding into your DMs with higher rates.

Owner satisfaction with portable Level 1 & Level 2 chargers has slipped, while people with hard-wired Level 2 chargers are still the happiest (because they actually know what they’re doing).

The funniest part?

Only 20% of EV owners say their dealer actually explained how to optimize charging, use off-peak rates, or grab utility incentives.

So most people are out here plugging in at 6pm like it’s happy hour and wondering why their “cheap EV” is suddenly costing more than expected.

Meanwhile the smart chargers: “Bro, just schedule it for 2 a.m. when electricity is basically free. You’re welcome.”

Current EV owner energy in 2026: “I saved $100 on gas this month… but my electric bill went up $63. Am I winning? Losing? Somewhere in between?”

Moral of the story: Home charging is still way cheaper and more convenient than gas… but only if you’re not charging like it’s 2019 and electricity was basically free.

Who else is now googling “off-peak rates near me” after reading this?