How Much Does It Cost to Charge a Polestar 2 at Home? $15.97
Charging a 2025 Polestar 2 costs about $15.97 for a full charge and $5.64 per 100 miles at 17¢/kWh — about $677 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
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Slider nudges the 2's rate; the URL keeps it.
- EPA efficiency
- 33.2 kWh/100 mi
- Energy for a full range
- ~94 kWh
- Full charge at 17¢/kWh
- $15.97
- Per 100 miles
- $5.64
- Per year (12k miles)
- $677
- EPA range
- 283 miles
Why this number
The Polestar 2 (EPA data for the 2025 model year, the newest the EPA lists; dollar figures use 2026 electricity rates) uses 33.2 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 2 at about $5.64 per 100 miles — 5.64¢ a mile. That is comfortably better than average — 27th most efficient of the 67 current models tracked here — and puts running costs in the range most buyers hope for when they switch.
What a 2 costs to charge at every rate
The same 2 costs $4.10 per 100 miles at Idaho’s 12.35¢ and $17.50 at Hawaii’s 52.72¢ — a 4.3× spread that is entirely the rate:
| Electricity rate | Per 100 miles | Full charge (~94 kWh) | Per year at 12,000 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12¢/kWh | $3.98 | $11.27 | $478 |
| 15¢/kWh | $4.98 | $14.09 | $598 |
| 17¢/kWh (US avg) | $5.64 | $15.97 | $677 |
| 20¢/kWh | $6.64 | $18.79 | $797 |
| 25¢/kWh | $8.30 | $23.49 | $996 |
| 30¢/kWh | $9.96 | $28.19 | $1,195 |
| 35¢/kWh | $11.62 | $32.88 | $1,394 |
| 45¢/kWh | $14.94 | $42.28 | $1,793 |
Wall-side for the 2: EPA’s 33.2 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 2’s 5.64¢ 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 2’s math in full — both formulas, and the electricity rate at which the advantage disappears.
Range: what a “full charge” of the 2 really means
EPA range across the lineup runs 254–314 miles, averaging 283. Multiplying that by the car’s efficiency gives roughly 94 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 2 on a public fast charger
On a public fast charger at about 48¢/kWh the 2 costs $15.94 per 100 miles against $5.64 at home — 2.8× — or roughly $1,912 a year instead of $677 if it never sees a home outlet. Why a session costs more than the posted price for a 2 (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 2’s $677 flat-rate figure.
The 2 in cold weather
A hard winter lifts the 2 from 33.2 to roughly 43.2 kWh/100 mi (the middle of the 20–40% rise real-world data shows), so $7.34 per 100 miles instead of $5.64 and an effective range nearer 218 miles than 283. The mechanics behind the 2’s winter penalty — cabin heat, battery chemistry, preconditioning from the wall — are on the hub ; the 2’s $677 annual figure above already averages the seasons.
Where the 2 sits against other EVs
Its nearest neighbors on efficiency are the Kia EV6 (33.2 kWh/100 mi) and the BMW i5 (33.3 kWh/100 mi). The 2 at 33.2 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.
Trims: does the 2 version you pick change the bill?
The EPA rates 5 configurations of the 2025 2, and they are not close: 29.6 kWh/100 mi for the most efficient, 36.9 for the least, a 25% spread. At 12,000 miles that is about $149 a year between the cheapest and most expensive version of the same 2. Bigger wheels, all-wheel drive and performance tunes are usually what separates them — worth knowing before you tick the options box.
How it compares inside the Polestar range
The 2 at 33.2 kWh/100 mi sits among 3 Polestar EVs tracked here, running from 33.2 (2) to 39.7 (4). Also on this site: Polestar 3 , Polestar 4 .
The tax question for the 2, answered plainly
Nothing about the 2 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 2 on running cost and body style: Kia EV6 (33.2 kWh/100 mi), BMW i5 (33.3 kWh/100 mi), BMW i4 (33.7 kWh/100 mi).
Put the 2’s $677 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 2 in the Supercharger vs home calculator . All 67 EVs . The 2 is only one line on the household bill — the 40-appliance running-cost ranking shows where $677 a year of charging lands next to everyday loads like a garage heater or a electric furnace .
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to fully charge a Polestar 2?
About $15.97 at the US average residential rate of 17¢/kWh. Refilling 283 miles of EPA range draws roughly 94 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 $11.27; at 45¢/kWh it is $42.28.
What does a 2 cost per mile in electricity?
About 5.64¢ per mile for the 2 at 17¢/kWh, measured at the wall. For the 2 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 2 at home or at a public fast charger?
Home, for the 2: about $5.64 per 100 miles at 17¢/kWh against roughly $15.94 on a 48¢ fast charger — 2.8 times as much, before idle fees and per-minute billing on some networks.
Does the 2 qualify for a federal EV tax credit in 2026?
No — the 2, 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 2: 33.2 kWh/100 mi ÷ 100 × 17¢ = $5.64 per 100 miles; 283 mi × 33.2 ÷ 100 = 94 kWh, × $0.17 = $15.97 per full charge; $5.64 × 12,000 ÷ 100 = $677 a year. The 2’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 Kia EV6 — 33.2 kWh/100 mi against the 2’s 33.2 — $5.64 vs $5.64 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge a BMW i5 — 33.3 kWh/100 mi against the 2’s 33.2 — $5.66 vs $5.64 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge a Rivian R2 — 33.1 kWh/100 mi against the 2’s 33.2 — $5.63 vs $5.64 per 100 miles at 17¢.
- Cost to charge an EV: all 67 models ranked — Where the 2’s $677 a year sits among 67 EVs, plus the fast-charging, cold-weather and tax explainers.
- EV vs gas cost calculator — The 2’s 33.2 kWh/100 mi against your gas car’s mpg and your local pump price.