Apartment Life Can Shrink EV Savings by Two-Thirds
One irritating thing about the discussion around EV savings to be made, it treats different use cases the same. But they’re not. Most EV charging cost talk is built for people with a driveway. One clean price, easy math, smug savings. If you live in an apartment, that story often doesn’t apply. You don’t get “home electricity.” You get whatever charger you can reach, whatever price it posts, and whatever time it steals.
The numbers are moving, too. In the latest EIA electricity price table (October 2025 data), the U.S. average residential rate sits around 18 cents per kWh. Public fast charging sits way higher. Paren’s Q3 2025 fast-charging pricing report pegs the national average at about 49 cents per kWh.
If you can charge at home, that 18-49 gap is your advantage. If you can’t, it’s an apartment-dweller penalty. If you own an EV and live in an apartment, you need a routine, or your EV turns into a convenience purchase instead of a money saver.
Photo by Eren Goldman on Unsplash
Apartment EV Charging Feels Like a Rip-Off Because the System Is Built That Way
Apartment EV charging usually turns into a juggling act: workplace charging if you’re lucky, public Level 2 if you can find it, and DC fast charging when you’re boxed in. The charging hardware matters less than the pattern. You want steady Level 2 access. You want fast charging to stay rare.
Fast chargers mess with your instincts. They look like gas pumps, so you treat them like gas pumps. The problem is you’re paying for speed and location at a premium rate. At roughly 49 cents per kilowatt-hour, the “cheap to run” pitch starts to sound like it came with an asterisk.
The fix is simple, even if the lifestyle isn’t.
Replace home charging with a reliable Level 2 routine. Workplace charging is the cleanest substitute. If your job offers it, take it seriously. When most of your weekly miles come from electrons you pick up while you’re already there, your EV stays cheap.
If work charging isn’t an option, go hunting for Level 2 that fits your life instead of taking over your life. A gym, grocery store, garage near home, or a regular parking spot can do the job. The DOE charging station guide spells out why Level 2 exists for longer stops. That’s your angle: charge while you’re already busy.
Use DC fast charging like a tool, not a routine. Show up with a lower battery so the charger runs hard, then leave before the session slows down. Long top-offs cost more and waste more time. If you fast charge often, a membership plan can reduce the sting. If you don’t, skip the subscription clutter.
Be honest about your driving. If you drive less, you can live with public charging because you’ll buy fewer sessions. If you drive a lot and you can’t lock down predictable Level 2 access, you’ll pay premium rates more than you expect.
My Verdict
If you’re an apartment dweller, the EV can still work, but you need to treat charging access like the whole deal. Level 2 is your lifeline. Fast charging is the emergency lever. If your plan is “whatever fast charger is open,” you’re signing up for higher costs, more waiting, and a lot less of that promised EV advantage.