Charging cost comes down to where you plug in. Home is cheapest, public Level 2 is often free, and DC fast charging costs the most — because you're paying for speed.
Short answer: Adding 150 miles of range costs roughly $5–$9 at home, $10–$20 on public Level 2 (frequently free), or $13–$28 on DC fast charging. The same distance in a 25 mpg gas car costs about $21 in fuel.
There's no single price, because the cost to charge an electric car depends entirely on where you plug in. Electricity is billed per kilowatt-hour (kWh), and rates run from free to about $0.55 per kWh depending on the charger type and network.
| Where you charge | Rate per kWh | Cost to add 150 miles* | Time for that range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home (Level 1 or 2) | $0.10–$0.18 | About $5–$9 | Overnight |
| Public Level 2 | $0.20–$0.40 | About $10–$20 | 4–6 hours |
| DC fast charging | $0.25–$0.55 | About $13–$28 | 30–45 minutes |
| Free public charger | $0.00 | Free | Varies |
*Based on roughly 50 kWh to add 150 miles, typical for a mid-size EV at about 3 miles per kWh. Your figure varies with the vehicle's efficiency and driving conditions.
Pick where you'd charge and how far you're driving.
Public Level 2 charging for 150 miles
The same 150 miles in a 25 mpg gas car: $21.00
Assumes about 3 miles per kWh and $3.50 a gallon. Actual cost varies by vehicle, network and driving conditions.
A gas car averaging 25 mpg needs about six gallons to cover 150 miles. At $3.50 a gallon that's roughly $21. The same distance costs about $5–$9 charging at home — a meaningful saving — while DC fast charging at $13–$28 lands close to fuel parity.
That's the pattern most EV owners describe: the savings come from routine charging at cheap rates, not from fast charging on the road. For a rental, it means the practical cost depends heavily on whether you can use Level 2 overnight.
Amped has run the numbers on this from the rental side — see how renting an EV saves money on fuel compared with a gas rental in South Florida.
DC fast charging typically runs $0.25 to $0.55 per kWh, so adding 150 miles costs roughly $13 to $28. It's the most expensive way to charge, and yes — fast charging is more expensive than Level 2 almost everywhere. You're paying for time: 30 to 45 minutes instead of several hours.
Plenty of public Level 2 charging costs nothing. Free Level 2 charging is common at hotels, shopping malls, public libraries, municipal buildings and some grocery stores. Fort Lauderdale alone has around 115 free charging locations, including six stations at Galleria Mall. The PlugShare app filters for free stations and shows live availability.
Our Fort Lauderdale EV charging stations guide maps all 316 public stations in Broward County and flags which are free. For charging times rather than costs, see how long it takes to charge an electric car. Renting from Amped? Every vehicle arrives fully charged with charging guidance included.
Plug a cable into the car's charge port and the charger delivers electricity to the battery. What differs between charger types is how that electricity gets there — and that's what determines both speed and cost.
Level 2 charging runs on a 240V connection — the same kind of supply an electric dryer uses — delivering roughly 6 to 19 kW. That adds about 25 to 40 miles of range per hour, filling most batteries overnight. It's the most common public charger type, found at hotels, workplaces, shopping centers and parking garages.
Level 1 and Level 2 both supply alternating current, which the car's onboard converter turns into the direct current the battery actually stores. That conversion step is the bottleneck, and it's why these levels are slower.
DC fast charging — sometimes called Level 3 — skips that bottleneck entirely by sending high-voltage direct current straight to the battery. That's why it adds 200 or more miles in about 30 to 45 minutes, or takes a battery from 20% to 80% in roughly 20 to 40 minutes.
So the three EV charging levels break down as: Level 1 (household outlet, 3–5 miles per hour), Level 2 (240V, 25–40 miles per hour), and DC fast charging (200+ miles in under an hour).
The process is the same at nearly every network:
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the unit electricity is sold in — the equivalent of a gallon at a gas pump. EV charging is priced per kWh, and most EVs travel about 3 miles per kWh. That single figure is what lets you convert any advertised rate into a real cost: multiply the miles you need by the rate, then divide by three.
The two options differ on speed, cost and where you'll find them. Here's how they stack up:
| Level 2 (240V) | DC Fast Charging | |
|---|---|---|
| Range per hour | 25–40 miles | 200+ miles in 30–45 min |
| Typical cost | $0.20–$0.40 per kWh | $0.25–$0.55 per kWh |
| Cost per 150 miles | About $10–$20 | About $13–$28 |
| Often free? | Yes — hotels, malls, libraries | Rarely |
| Best for | Overnight, meals, beach days | Road trips, quick top-ups |
| Where you'll find it | Hotels, garages, shopping centers | Highway corridors, urban hubs |
The pattern is simple: Level 2 charges while you're doing something else. Fast charging is something you stop to do. That distinction drives almost every decision on a rental.
Level 2 runs on 240V and delivers roughly 25 to 40 miles of range per hour. That sounds slow next to fast charging, but it's usually the smarter option on a rental — because you're rarely in the car when it's charging anyway.
The cost advantage matters too. Level 2 is frequently free at hotels, municipal buildings and shopping centers — Fort Lauderdale has around 115 free charging locations — so the effective cost of a trip's charging can be nothing at all.
Our Fort Lauderdale EV charging stations guide maps every public station in Broward County, including which ones are free.
DC fast charging sends high-voltage direct current straight to the battery, bypassing the slower onboard converter. That's why it can add 200 or more miles in about 30 to 45 minutes, or take a battery from 20% to 80% in roughly 20 to 40 minutes.
Fast charging deliberately slows above 80%. The car does this to protect the battery, so the last 20% takes disproportionately long. On a road trip you're almost always better off charging to 80% and moving on rather than waiting for a full battery.
And no, occasional fast charging won't harm the car. It's exactly what the system is built for, and the vehicle manages temperature and speed automatically.
The best approach isn't picking one type — it's matching the charger to the stop. A practical rhythm for a South Florida trip looks like this:
Level 2 at the hotel. Plug in when you arrive, wake up full. Costs little or nothing.
Level 2 while you eat, shop or spend the afternoon at the beach. Free range you'd otherwise pay for.
DC fast charging when you're actually moving and need range in half an hour.
Have a backup station in mind. PlugShare shows live availability so you're not guessing.
One more thing that changes the math on a rental specifically: your car arrives fully charged. On a short trip with modest mileage, you may not need to charge at all — which makes the whole Level 2 versus fast charging question academic until day three.
Amped Auto Rentals delivers every EV fully charged with charging guidance included. Rent an EV in Fort Lauderdale, or have one delivered to your hotel or address.
If you're weighing an EV rental against a gas one, charging cost is only half the comparison — and on a short trip it's often close to zero.
Amped Auto Rentals delivers every vehicle fully charged. A Tesla Model Y arrives with roughly 300 miles of range. For a long weekend of beach trips, dinners on Las Olas and a drive to the airport, that's frequently the entire rental — no charging session, no cost.
Past three or four days, you'll want a top-up. If your hotel has Level 2 charging — many Fort Lauderdale hotels do — that's usually free or a few dollars overnight. Fort Lauderdale's 115 free public stations cover most of the rest.
A gas rental burns roughly $21 per 150 miles at the pump, every time, with no free option. An EV rental starts full and often refills free. Over a week of typical tourist driving, that difference is real money — and it's before you factor in skipping the gas-station stop entirely on your way back to FLL.
Curious what the rental itself costs? See how much it costs to rent a Tesla in Miami, or go straight to booking — rent a Tesla Model Y in Fort Lauderdale or browse electric car rentals in Fort Lauderdale, delivered fully charged.
If you'd rather see charging explained than read about it, this walks through the networks, the apps, and what to expect at a public station across South Florida.
Amped Auto Rentals — EV charging across Miami, Fort Lauderdale & South Florida.
Home charging runs $0.10–$0.18 per kWh, or about $5–$9 to add 150 miles. Public Level 2 is $0.20–$0.40 per kWh ($10–$20) and often free. DC fast charging is $0.25–$0.55 per kWh ($13–$28). A 25 mpg gas car needs about $21 of fuel for the same 150 miles.
Roughly $13–$28 to add 150 miles, at $0.25–$0.55 per kWh. It's the priciest option, but you're buying time — 30–45 minutes instead of several hours.
Yes. Level 2 runs $0.20–$0.40 per kWh and is frequently free at hotels and malls; fast charging runs $0.25–$0.55 and is rarely free.
A 240V connection delivering 6–19 kW, adding 25–40 miles of range per hour. It's the most common public charger type — hotels, workplaces, shopping centers, garages — and fills most batteries overnight.
High-voltage direct current sent straight to the battery, bypassing the onboard converter. That's why it adds 200+ miles in 30–45 minutes, or 20%–80% in 20–40 minutes.
Level 1 and 2 supply alternating current that the car converts to DC for the battery — that conversion is the bottleneck. DC fast charging skips it. Public sessions start with a network app, card tap, or RFID fob.
Hotels, malls, libraries, municipal buildings and some grocery stores. Fort Lauderdale has around 115 free locations, including six at Galleria Mall. PlugShare filters for free stations.
Occasional fast charging is fine and exactly what it's designed for. The car manages speed and temperature automatically and slows above 80% to protect the pack. On a rental there's no practical concern.
Whichever matches your stop. Parked for the evening or a few hours? Level 2 — cheaper, often free. Need range fast between activities? DC fast charging earns its premium.
