Home charging cost
Charging a Chevrolet Bolt in Illinois
What it actually costs to charge at home on Illinois's average residential electricity rate.
Home charging at a glance
Illinois rate
$0.13/kWh
Full charge
~$8.45
262 miles
Cost per mile
~3.3¢
Yearly home-charging cost
Based on the Chevrolet Bolt’s efficiency (3.9 mi/kWh) at Illinois's average residential rate. For comparison, a 30-mpg gas car at $3.50/gallon runs about 12¢/mile.
Home vs. public fast charging
Costs below are for a 10%–80% charge — the usable fast-charge window, about 46 kWh of the Chevrolet Bolt’s 65 kWh battery. That’s the range most owners actually use, since charging past 80% slows down sharply.
Home charging
~$5.92
10 → 80% · 3.3¢/mile
$0.13/kWh
Public fast charging
~$22.75
10 → 80% · 12.8¢/mile
~$0.50/kWh (DC fast)
Charging the Chevrolet Bolt on public DC fast chargers costs roughly 3.8× more than at home — about $16.84 extra per 10→80% charge. Most owners charge at home and only use fast charging on road trips, so your real average lands much closer to the home number.
Level 1 vs. Level 2: can your outlet keep up?
The cost per kWh is the same either way. What changes is how fast the Chevrolet Bolt recovers range while parked at home.
Level 1 · standard outlet
~5 mi/hour
120V · no installation needed
~9 hours to recover 40 miles of driving. A 10-hour overnight plug-in adds about 47 miles.
Level 2 · 240V circuit
~37 mi/hour
240V · uses the Chevrolet Bolt’s 9.6 kW onboard charger
~1 hour to recover 40 miles. A 10-hour overnight plug-in adds up to 374 miles.
If your daily driving stays under ~47 miles, a regular outlet may be all the Chevrolet Bolt needs. Drive more than that, and Level 2 — or a workplace charger — becomes the difference between an EV that fits your life and one that doesn’t.
Does a Level 2 install pay for itself?
A home Level 2 setup — 240V circuit plus charger — typically runs $800–$1,800 installed. If the alternative is relying on public fast chargers, home charging the Chevrolet Bolt in Illinois saves about $94.87/month at 12,000 miles a year.
At a mid-range install cost of $1,300, that’s a payback of roughly 14 months — and every month after that is pure savings.
Winter in Illinois
Illinois averages about 4 months a year cold enough to cut EV efficiency — typically 15–25% in deep winter. Here’s what that does to the Chevrolet Bolt’s numbers at a 20% efficiency loss:
Cost per mile
~4.2¢vs. 3.3¢ in mild weather
Full-charge range
~203 mivs. ~254 mi
The cost bump is minor — a few dollars a month. The range cut matters more: if your daily driving is close to the Chevrolet Bolt’s limits, winter is when a marginal charging setup stops working.
Will a Chevrolet Bolt actually work for your home in Illinois?
Cost is one piece. The bigger question is whether your outlet and daily driving keep you covered without relying on public chargers. Answer 5 quick questions for a clear, personalized answer.
Check your EV readiness →Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge a Chevrolet Bolt at home in Illinois?
At Illinois's average residential rate of $0.13 per kWh, a full charge of the Chevrolet Bolt's 65 kWh battery costs about $8.45 — roughly 3.3 cents per mile.
What is the yearly cost to charge a Chevrolet Bolt in Illinois?
Driving 12,000 miles a year, home charging a Chevrolet Bolt in Illinois costs about $400 per year.
Can you charge a Chevrolet Bolt on a regular outlet?
Yes. On a standard 120V outlet (Level 1), the Chevrolet Bolt recovers about 5 miles of range per hour — roughly 47 miles overnight. A 240V Level 2 circuit charges about 8x faster.
Is it cheaper to charge a Chevrolet Bolt at home or at a public fast charger?
Home charging in Illinois costs about 3.3 cents per mile, while public DC fast charging runs about 12.8 cents per mile — roughly 3.8x more.
Chevrolet Bolt charging cost in other locations
Other EVs in Illinois
Electricity rate is the EIA state residential average. Charging cost assumes home (Level 1 or Level 2) charging; efficiency and battery figures from the EV guide. Rates last reviewed Q2 2026.