What a 2016 electric car costs to charge at home

Charging a 2016 electric vehicle at home costs between $3 and $6 per full charge on a standard U.S. household electricity rate, depending on your local power cost and the car's battery size. A Nissan Leaf (24 kWh battery) costs roughly $3 to $4 per charge. A Tesla Model S (60–90 kWh battery) costs $8 to $12. These figures assume Level 2 charging — a 240-volt home charger that takes 4 to 10 hours for a full charge, compared to Level 1 (standard 120-volt outlet) which takes 12 to 24 hours.

Your actual cost depends on three things: your local electricity rate (measured in cents per kilowatt-hour), the car's battery capacity, and how often you charge from empty. Most 2016 EV owners charge overnight when rates may be lower, and rarely deplete the battery completely. Installing a Level 2 home charger costs $500 to $2,000 including equipment and electrician labor, though some utilities offered rebates in 2016 that reduced this.

Public charging networks like ChargePoint and Blink existed in 2016 but were less widespread than today. DC fast charging — which adds 80 miles in 20 to 30 minutes — cost $8 to $15 per session at public stations, though pricing varied widely by network and location.

Key Takeaways

  • Home charging with a Level 2 charger costs $3 to $6 per full charge for most 2016 electric vehicles, depending on your local electricity rate and the car's battery size.
  • Installing a Level 2 home charger runs $500 to $2,000 total, and most 2016 EV owners recoup this cost within two to three years through fuel savings.
  • The 2016 Nissan Leaf, Chevy Spark EV, and Tesla Model S were the most common 2016 models, each with different battery sizes and charging speeds.
  • Public DC fast charging was available in 2016 but limited compared to today, and cost $8 to $15 per session at most networks.
  • Charging time at home ranges from 4 to 10 hours with Level 2 power, making overnight charging the standard practice for daily use.

Which 2016 electric vehicles were actually sold

The 2016 model year offered fewer EV choices than today. The Nissan Leaf was the most common — it came with a 24 kWh battery (84-mile range) or a 30 kWh battery (107-mile range). The Chevy Spark EV had a 19 kWh battery (82-mile range). The Tesla Model S came in 60 kWh, 75 kWh, and 90 kWh versions, with ranges from 210 to 270 miles. The BMW i3 offered a 22 kWh battery (81-mile range) or a 33 kWh battery (114-mile range). The Volkswagen e-Golf had a 24 kWh battery (83-mile range).

Plug-in hybrids (cars with both a gas engine and a battery) were also sold in 2016 — the Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius Prime, and BMW i8 — but they charge differently and cost less per mile because they fall back to gas. This guide focuses on battery-electric vehicles, which run on electricity alone.

How home charging equipment works and what to install

A 2016 EV charges through a port on the car's side, using a cable that connects to either a wall outlet or a dedicated charger. Level 1 charging uses a standard 120-volt household outlet and comes with every EV — it delivers about 3 miles of range per hour of charging, so a 24 kWh Leaf takes 20+ hours for a full charge. Level 1 is free (you already have the outlet) but impractical for daily use unless you drive fewer than 20 miles per day.

Level 2 charging requires a 240-volt circuit, the same voltage as an electric dryer or water heater. A Level 2 charger delivers 6 to 10 miles of range per hour, so a Leaf charges fully in 4 to 6 hours. Installation means running a new 240-volt line from your electrical panel to your garage or driveway, which is why it costs $500 to $2,000. The charger itself (the box on the wall) costs $300 to $800; the electrician's labor and any panel upgrades make up the rest.

Most 2016 EV owners installed Level 2 at home because it made overnight charging practical. Public charging was sparse in 2016, so home charging was essential for daily commuting.

DC fast charging and public networks in 2016

DC fast charging bypasses the car's onboard charger and sends power directly to the battery, adding 80 miles in 20 to 30 minutes. In 2016, this technology was available only on certain models — the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, and BMW i3 supported it. The Chevy Spark EV and Volkswagen e-Golf did not.

Public DC fast-charging networks existed but were fragmented. ChargePoint, Blink, and Tesla's Supercharger network (exclusive to Tesla at the time) were the main players. Pricing ranged from $8 to $15 per 20-minute session, though some networks charged by the kilowatt-hour instead. Coverage was heaviest in California and the Northeast; much of the Midwest and South had few options.

Most 2016 EV owners relied on home charging for daily use and used public chargers only for road trips or when home charging was unavailable. The fragmented network and high per-session cost made public charging expensive for frequent use.

Electricity rates and how they affect your charging cost

Your charging cost depends almost entirely on your local electricity rate. In 2016, U.S. residential rates ranged from about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in Louisiana and Washington to 20+ cents per kWh in California and Hawaii. A Nissan Leaf with a 24 kWh battery charged from empty costs $2.40 at 10 cents per kWh but $4.80 at 20 cents per kWh — a difference of $100 per month if you charge daily.

Some utilities offered time-of-use (TOU) rates in 2016, where electricity cost less during off-peak hours (usually 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.). Charging overnight on a TOU rate could cut your cost by 30 to 50 percent. You had to request the TOU rate from your utility, and not all utilities offered it to residential customers.

A few utilities also offered EV-specific rates or rebates for installing a home charger. These programs varied by state and utility, so checking with your local power company was necessary to find out what was available.

Comparing fuel cost: electric versus gasoline in 2016

In 2016, gasoline averaged $2.14 per gallon nationally, but ranged from $1.50 to $3.00 depending on state and time of year. A typical gasoline car gets 25 miles per gallon, so driving 12,000 miles per year cost about $1,000 in fuel. A 2016 Nissan Leaf charged at home cost roughly $400 to $600 per year in electricity for the same 12,000 miles, assuming a national average rate of 12 cents per kWh.

This $400 to $600 annual savings meant a $1,500 home charger installation paid for itself in 2.5 to 4 years through fuel savings alone. When combined with federal tax credits (up to $7,500 for EVs in 2016) and state rebates, the total cost of ownership often favored electric vehicles over gas cars, even before accounting for lower maintenance (no oil changes, fewer moving parts).

However, this math only worked if you had a place to install a home charger. Apartment dwellers and people without dedicated parking could not charge at home and had to rely on public networks, which made the economics much less favorable.

Charging time and range trade-offs

Every 2016 EV faced a fundamental trade-off: charge slowly at home (4 to 10 hours) or charge quickly in public (20 to 30 minutes) at higher cost. Most owners chose home charging for daily use because it was cheaper and more convenient — you plugged in overnight and woke up with a full battery. Public charging was reserved for road trips or emergencies.

Range anxiety — the fear of running out of battery — was real in 2016. A Nissan Leaf with an 84-mile range could handle a 40-mile commute but not much more. A Tesla Model S with 210+ miles could do longer trips, but charging stops added hours to the journey. Planning routes around charging stations was necessary for any trip over 150 miles.

This is why most 2016 EV owners were early adopters with short commutes, access to home charging, and a second gas car for long trips. The technology worked well for predictable daily driving but not yet for the full range of driving patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to install a Level 2 charger at home?

A Level 2 charger installation typically costs $500 to $2,000 total. The charger equipment itself runs $300 to $800, and the electrician's labor plus any panel upgrades or new wiring makes up the rest. Costs vary by region and whether your electrical panel has available capacity.

Can a 2016 electric car charge on a regular household outlet?

Yes, using Level 1 charging. Every 2016 EV comes with a Level 1 cable that plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet. It charges very slowly — about 3 miles of range per hour — so a full charge takes 20+ hours. It works for overnight charging if you drive short distances daily, but most owners found it impractical and installed a Level 2 charger.

Which 2016 electric cars support DC fast charging?

The Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, and BMW i3 supported DC fast charging in 2016. The Chevy Spark EV and Volkswagen e-Golf did not. DC fast charging adds 80 miles in 20 to 30 minutes but costs $8 to $15 per session at public networks.

What was the difference between a 2016 Nissan Leaf and a Tesla Model S?

The Leaf was an affordable, short-range car (84 to 107 miles) designed for daily commuting. The Model S was a luxury sedan with longer range (210 to 270 miles) and faster acceleration. The Leaf cost around $30,000; the Model S started at $70,000. Both supported DC fast charging, but the Model S had access to Tesla's exclusive Supercharger network.

Did 2016 electric cars have tax credits or rebates?

Yes. The federal government offered a tax credit up to $7,500 for new EVs in 2016, though it phased out as manufacturers sold more vehicles. Some states offered additional rebates for purchase or home charger installation. These incentives varied by state and changed throughout the year, so checking with your state's energy office was necessary to know what was available.