$12.56 a Full Charge: Chevrolet Bolt EV Charging Cost at Home
Charging a 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV costs about $12.56 for a full charge and $4.79 per 100 miles at 17¢/kWh — about $575 a year at 12,000 miles.
· Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (July 2026 data) · EPA fueleconomy.gov · next EIA update ~Oct 23
On this page: CalculatorTableHow we calculatedSources
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Slider nudges the Bolt EV's rate; the URL keeps it.
- EPA efficiency
- 28.2 kWh/100 mi
- Energy for a full range
- ~74 kWh
- Full charge at 17¢/kWh
- $12.56
- Per 100 miles
- $4.79
- Per year (12k miles)
- $575
- EPA range
- 262 miles
Why this number
The Chevrolet Bolt EV (EPA data for the 2027 model year, the newest the EPA lists; dollar figures use 2026 electricity rates) uses 28.2 kWh per 100 miles on the EPA combined cycle — the wall-outlet figure, so charging losses are already counted (look up your exact trim at fueleconomy.gov ). At the US average residential rate of 17¢/kWh that puts the Bolt EV at about $4.79 per 100 miles — 4.79¢ a mile. That puts it among the most efficient EVs on sale: 5 out of the 67 current models tracked here, ordered from least to most energy used. Efficiency at this level is what makes an EV genuinely cheap to run rather than merely cheaper than gasoline.
What a Bolt EV costs to charge at every rate
The same Bolt EV costs $3.48 per 100 miles at Idaho’s 12.35¢ and $14.87 at Hawaii’s 52.72¢ — a 4.3× spread that is entirely the rate:
| Electricity rate | Per 100 miles | Full charge (~74 kWh) | Per year at 12,000 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12¢/kWh | $3.38 | $8.87 | $406 |
| 15¢/kWh | $4.23 | $11.08 | $508 |
| 17¢/kWh (US avg) | $4.79 | $12.56 | $575 |
| 20¢/kWh | $5.64 | $14.78 | $677 |
| 25¢/kWh | $7.05 | $18.47 | $846 |
| 30¢/kWh | $8.46 | $22.17 | $1,015 |
| 35¢/kWh | $9.87 | $25.86 | $1,184 |
| 45¢/kWh | $12.69 | $33.25 | $1,523 |
Wall-side for the Bolt EV: EPA’s 28.2 kWh/100 mi is measured at the outlet, charger losses included; quick-fill your state above for your own figure.
That per-mile figure is the one to hold against gasoline: at 17¢/kWh the Bolt EV’s 4.79¢ a mile compares with about 13.6¢ for a 30-mpg gas car at $4.07 a gallon (EIA weekly, Aug 31, 2026). The EV vs gas cost guide works the Bolt EV’s math in full — both formulas, and the electricity rate at which the advantage disappears.
Range: what a “full charge” of the Bolt EV really means
EPA combined range is about 262 miles. Multiplying that by the car’s efficiency gives roughly 74 kWh to refill a full range from empty, which is the honest way to think about a ‘full charge’ — battery capacity figures include a buffer you never actually use.
The Bolt EV on a public fast charger
On a public fast charger at about 48¢/kWh the Bolt EV costs $13.54 per 100 miles against $4.79 at home — 2.8× — or roughly $1,624 a year instead of $575 if it never sees a home outlet. Why a session costs more than the posted price for a Bolt EV (10–80% charging curve, idle fees, per-minute billing) is explained once on the cost-to-charge hub ; the EV time-of-use calculator nets an overnight rate against the Bolt EV’s $575 flat-rate figure.
The Bolt EV in cold weather
A hard winter lifts the Bolt EV from 28.2 to roughly 36.7 kWh/100 mi (the middle of the 20–40% rise real-world data shows), so $6.23 per 100 miles instead of $4.79 and an effective range nearer 202 miles than 262. The mechanics behind the Bolt EV’s winter penalty — cabin heat, battery chemistry, preconditioning from the wall — are on the hub ; the Bolt EV’s $575 annual figure above already averages the seasons.
Where the Bolt EV sits against other EVs
Its nearest neighbors on efficiency are the Toyota bZ (27.8 kWh/100 mi) and the Subaru Solterra (28.4 kWh/100 mi). The Bolt EV at 28.2 kWh/100 mi sits against a set that runs from the Tesla Model Y at 26.9 kWh/100 mi, and the least efficient is the GMC Hummer EV at 67.8 — a spread that changes annual charging cost by $834 a year at 17¢/kWh and 12,000 miles. Cross-shopping at the efficient end of the table, the next-most-efficient rival beyond those: Mercedes-Benz CLA (29.0 kWh/100 mi).
Trims: does the Bolt EV version you pick change the bill?
The EPA lists a single configuration for the 2027 Bolt EV, so there is no trim-to-trim efficiency decision to make here — what you see is what you get.
How it compares inside the Chevrolet range
The Bolt EV at 28.2 kWh/100 mi sits among 4 Chevrolet EVs tracked here, running from 28.2 (Bolt EV) to 49.9 (Silverado EV). Also on this site: Chevrolet Equinox EV , Chevrolet Blazer EV , Chevrolet Silverado EV .
The tax question for the Bolt EV, answered plainly
Nothing about the Bolt EV changes that: the rules are the same for every EV, and the full 2026 position — §30D, §25E, the ended §30C charger credit, state programs — is in the energy tax credit guide and on the cost-to-charge hub .
Related
Closest comparisons to the Bolt EV on running cost and body style: Toyota bZ (27.8 kWh/100 mi), Subaru Solterra (28.4 kWh/100 mi), Fiat 500e (29.9 kWh/100 mi), Nissan Leaf (30.2 kWh/100 mi).
Put the Bolt EV’s $575 a year against a gas car in the EV vs gas calculator , check your state’s rate , or price a road-trip stop for a Bolt EV in the Supercharger vs home calculator . All 67 EVs . The Bolt EV is only one line on the household bill — the 40-appliance running-cost ranking shows where $575 a year of charging lands next to everyday loads like a heat pump water heater or a air fryer .
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to fully charge a Chevrolet Bolt EV?
About $12.56 at the US average residential rate of 17¢/kWh. Refilling 262 miles of EPA range draws roughly 74 kWh from the wall — the EPA figure is measured at the outlet, so charger and cable losses are already in it. At 12¢/kWh that is $8.87; at 45¢/kWh it is $33.25.
What does a Bolt EV cost per mile in electricity?
About 4.79¢ per mile for the Bolt EV at 17¢/kWh, measured at the wall. For the Bolt EV that is the number to set against gasoline: a 30-mpg car at $4.07 a gallon (EIA weekly, Aug 31, 2026) costs about 13.6¢ a mile.
Is it cheaper to charge the Bolt EV at home or at a public fast charger?
Home, for the Bolt EV: about $4.79 per 100 miles at 17¢/kWh against roughly $13.54 on a 48¢ fast charger — 2.8 times as much, before idle fees and per-minute billing on some networks.
Does the Bolt EV qualify for a federal EV tax credit in 2026?
No — the Bolt EV, like every EV bought after September 30, 2025, gets $0 federal purchase credit (§30D and §25E ended); the charger credit (§30C) ended June 30, 2026. State and utility EV programs are unaffected.
How we calculated this
Worked for the Bolt EV: 28.2 kWh/100 mi ÷ 100 × 17¢ = $4.79 per 100 miles; 262 mi × 28.2 ÷ 100 = 74 kWh, × $0.17 = $12.56 per full charge; $4.79 × 12,000 ÷ 100 = $575 a year. The Bolt EV’s gasoline comparison is 12,000 ÷ 30 mpg × $4.07 = $1,628. EPA combined ratings, measured at the wall.Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) electricity rates · DSIRE incentive records · public IRS/OBBBA guidance. Figures are modeled estimates, not quotes or tax advice. See our methodology.
Where to go next
- Cost to charge a Subaru Solterra — 28.4 kWh/100 mi against the Bolt EV’s 28.2 — $4.83 vs $4.79 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge a Toyota bZ — 27.8 kWh/100 mi against the Bolt EV’s 28.2 — $4.73 vs $4.79 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge a Mercedes-Benz CLA — 29.0 kWh/100 mi against the Bolt EV’s 28.2 — $4.93 vs $4.79 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge an EV: all 67 models ranked — Where the Bolt EV’s $575 a year sits among 67 EVs, plus the fast-charging, cold-weather and tax explainers.
- EV vs gas cost calculator — The Bolt EV’s 28.2 kWh/100 mi against your gas car’s mpg and your local pump price.