EV Charging Cost in Ontario (2026): Per km, per Month and per Year

EV charging in Ontario costs about 73¢ per 100 km when you charge at home overnight on the Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO) plan, or about $1.80 per 100 km at the Time-of-Use (TOU) off-peak price, counting the electricity commodity. For a typical 16,000 km a year, that is roughly $120 a year on ULO or $290 on TOU off-peak, compared with something like $1,850 in gasoline for a similar car.

These are estimates based on the Regulated Price Plan rates in effect from 1 November 2026. Your real EV charging cost depends on your car's efficiency, the season, your rate plan, and when you plug in.

EV charging cost at home in Ontario in 2026

Our assumptions:

• Efficiency: 18 kWh per 100 km, the middle of the typical 16–20 kWh range.
• Charging losses: about 10% (an estimate), so roughly 19.8 kWh from the wall per 100 km.
• Driving: 16,000 km a year, or about 3,170 kWh from the wall.

When you charge	Price per kWh	Cost per 100 km	Cost per year (16,000 km)
ULO ultra-low overnight (11 p.m.–7 a.m.)	3.7¢	about $0.73	about $117
TOU off-peak (weekdays 7 p.m.–7 a.m., weekends)	9.1¢	about $1.80	about $288
Tiered, Tier 1	11.2¢	about $2.22	about $355
TOU on-peak	18.9¢	about $3.74	about $599
ULO on-peak (weekdays 4–9 p.m.)	37.7¢	about $7.46	about $1,194

These are commodity costs only. Delivery and regulatory charges also have a per-kWh component that varies by local distribution company, and HST applies, partly offset by the 15.7% Ontario Electricity Rebate. Expect your real cost per kWh to be somewhat higher than the commodity price. For your own car and driving, use our EV charging cost calculator.

EV vs gasoline: the annual math

For a gasoline car using 8 L/100 km at an assumed pump price of $1.45/L (fuel prices change often; substitute your own):

Vehicle	Calculation	Annual fuel or charging cost
Gasoline car	16,000 km × 8 L/100 km × $1.45	about $1,856
EV on TOU off-peak	3,170 kWh × 9.1¢	about $288
EV on ULO overnight	3,170 kWh × 3.7¢	about $117

Even after adding delivery charges and HST, home charging typically saves $1,400–$1,700 a year in this example. Public fast charging narrows the gap; see below.

Is ULO worth it for EV owners?

The overnight price of 3.7¢ is the main attraction. Compared with TOU off-peak, it saves about 5.4¢ on every kWh. At 3,170 kWh a year, that is about $171 a year on the car alone.

The catch is the rest of your household's electricity. ULO charges 37.7¢ on weekdays from 4 to 9 p.m., and higher mid-peak prices than TOU for much of the day. Our analysis in is Ultra-Low Overnight worth it suggests a typical home needs around 400 kWh a month of overnight charging, or a real effort to cut evening use, before ULO beats TOU. Lighter drivers are often better off on TOU, charging after 7 p.m.

Tip: Set the charging schedule in the car or charger to start at 11 p.m. (ULO) or 7 p.m. (TOU) rather than relying on remembering to plug in late. Arriving home at 5:30 p.m. and charging immediately on ULO costs about ten times as much per kWh.

What about public charging?

Public charging prices vary widely by network and location. Some charge per kWh, some per minute, and some add session fees. As a rough estimate, DC fast charging often works out to several times the cost of home charging per km, roughly $5–$11 per 100 km. Level 2 public chargers at workplaces, malls or municipal lots are often cheaper and sometimes free. Check the network's app for current pricing.

Winter driving costs more

Cold weather increases energy use: batteries are less efficient, and heating the cabin draws power. Expect consumption to be noticeably higher in January than in July. Pre-heating the car while it is still plugged in, ideally during off-peak hours, and using seat and steering wheel heaters instead of cabin heat both help. Even with a winter penalty, home charging remains far cheaper per km than gasoline at typical prices.

What does home charging equipment cost?

Item	Typical cost (estimate)	Notes
Level 1 (standard 120 V outlet)	Usually $0	About 1.4 kW, or roughly 7 km of range per hour
Level 2 charger, installed	$1,500–$3,000	About 7 kW on a 40 A circuit, or roughly 35 km of range per hour
Electrical service upgrade (if needed)	$2,500–$6,000+	Many older Ontario homes have 100 A service
EV energy management system	Varies	Can sometimes avoid a service upgrade by limiting charging when other loads run

Level 2 installations need an ESA permit and inspection, which your electrical contractor should arrange. If your home also has, or will have, a heat pump or an electric range, plan electrical capacity for all three together. See Level 2 EV charger installation in Ontario and electrical panel upgrades for heat pumps and EVs.

Quick ways to lower your EV charging cost

1. Charge at home, on a schedule, in the cheapest window for your plan.
2. Compare TOU and ULO with real data from your LDC account before switching.
3. Keep tires properly inflated, especially as temperatures drop.
4. Pre-condition the cabin while plugged in.
5. Use public fast charging for road trips, not daily driving.

For a full overview of home charging, read our EV home charging guide. All figures in this post are estimates for illustration.