With the electric car market gaining traction, there are probably a lot of people thinking about buying an electric vehicle (EV). Buyers of emerging EV models like the Volkswagen ID.4 SUV are very possibly going to be new to EV protocol. Inexperience brings up a lot of important questions about the cost of charging the VW ID.4.

We’ve made a list of some questions these owners might have so that we can put all the answers in one place. If you are wondering about how much it costs to charge the Volkswagen ID.4, you surely aren’t the only one. Here’s some helpful information regarding EV charging costs for Volkswagen’s new electrified SUV.

How much does it cost to charge the ID.4 at home?

Naturally, this will depend on your specific electricity rates. Each grid is a bit different, so it’s hard to put an exact cost on charging the ID.4 at home. In addition, we will take this chance to note that these answers are directly aimed toward the North American market. Obviously, things will be a bit different for European ID.4 owners.

According to Inside EVs, the Volkswagen ID.4 can handle up to 11kW from a 48-amp level 2 charging source. That said, the provided charge kit is level 1. This is a 120-volt system that only provides a little more than 1 kW to the ID.4. So opting to buy the 240-volt level 2 system is a good choice if you want increased power for your in-home charging.

Inside EVs performed test charging on the Volkswagen ID.4 that showed a charging rate of 2 miles per hour with the level 1 system. With level 2, the charging rates were much higher. The cost for parts and installation into your garage can cost around $2,000.

“We then plugged in a 16-amp, a 32-amp, a 40-amp, and finally a 48-amp level 2 charger, and the ID.4 reported charging at rates of 10, 20, 27 & 32 miles per hour, respectfully.”

Inside EVs

Cheaper than gas?

According to Market Watch, if you calculate the average cost to charge an electric car at home, you come up with $21.60 per month. However, the price will vary depending on how you much pay per kW hour. In general, a driver putting around 1,000 miles on their car each month can expect to pay anywhere between $21.60 and about $66 each month. That is with calculations done in the context of a 3-4 mile per kWh.

“…using the U.S. household average of 12 cents per kWh, that gets you to $21.60/month to charge an EV.

Market Watch

Charging the Volkswagen ID.4 should cost little more than a couple hundred dollars per year. Keep in mind that’s for a driver that goes 1,000 miles per month. Conversely, the Volkswagen Atlas has an average yearly fuel cost over $1,600, according to Edmunds. Spending the extra estimated $700-$2,000 to equip your home with a level 2 charging system will pay for itself quickly due to the money you’ll save on gas.

How much does it cost to charge the Volkswagen ID.4 at a charging station?

If you plan to use a public charging station, there are some apps that help streamline the process for EV drivers. If you buy a Volkswagen ID.4, you may want to take a look at PlugShare, Chargeway, and charging networks that require membership such as EVgo.

All of these and other similar resources help drivers find the correct DC fast-charging stations for their electric cars. The Volkswagen ID.4 SUV can also charge at a Tesla station if a J1772 adapter is applied to the VW unit. But in terms of how much it costs to charge the Volkswagen ID, it’s going to vary. TIme of day, charging station, subscription specifics, and other variables all have their own effect on the cost. That said, it doesn’t often cost much more than a dollar per hour.

Some places offer free charging. The aforementioned apps can help drivers of the Volkswagen ID.4 electric SUV find free and low-cost charging stations in their neighborhood. Also, Volkswagen has an available offer for free charging in the first three years of ownership. Overall though, it’s difficult to pin down a price for how much it costs to charge the Volkswagen ID.4. It varies so much by region, grid pricing, and charging unit.