Depot Charging Costs

energy · demand charges · all-in cost

Depot charging costs a third of public fast charging. Demand charges can be half the bill.

US cost per kWh in 2026: depot Level 2 off-peak $0.12-0.18, managed depot DC fast charging $0.20-0.35, unmanaged depot charging $0.18-0.30, public DC fast charging $0.35-0.80; Tesla non-member Supercharging averages $0.57. Illustration for one month with a 1 MW peak: a $15 per kW demand charge costs $15,000, about the same as 200 MWh of energy at 8 cents. COST PER kWh, US 2026 Depot L2, off-peak$0.12-0.18 Depot DC, managed$0.20-0.35 Depot, unmanaged$0.18-0.30 Public DC fast$0.35-0.80 $0.00 $0.25 $0.50 $0.75 Tesla non-member $0.57 ONE MONTH, 1 MW PEAK Demand, $15/kW $15,000 Energy, 200 MWh $16,000 One 15-minute peak can cost as much as a month of energy.
Typical depot
$0.10-0.18
Public DC
$0.35-0.80
Demand
$10-25/kW
Managed savings
20-60%
Hub
Charging

Finding

At the depot, when you charge costs more than how much you charge

Depot charging is the cheapest electricity a fleet can buy - roughly $0.10-0.18 per kWh all-in with basic time-of-use discipline, against $0.35-0.80 on public fast chargers. But the bill has two parts, energy (kWh) and demand (the highest 15-minute kW of the month), and demand charges of $10-25 per kW can make up half of it.

That is why fleets are surprised by their first bill. Trucks that arrive together and plug in at once set a peak that is billed for the whole month; one fleet operator with 68 medium and heavy trucks reported demand charges of 45% of the first bill after the depot energized. Managed charging that staggers sessions, and batteries that cover the peak, routinely cut demand charges by 20-60%.

The definition matters. "Depot cost per kWh" usually means energy plus demand charges; some models add fixed fees, taxes and the amortized cost of chargers and transformers. Comparisons only work when every scenario includes the same items. Texas fleets add one more variable: ERCOT's wholesale prices swing widely, so depots that can shift load or sell battery capacity earn back part of the bill.

Components

What makes up the depot bill

Depot electricity cost components
ComponentHow it is billedHow fleets reduce it
Energy charge$ per kWh consumed; varies by time of useShift charging off-peak
Demand charge$ per kW of the month's highest 15-minute draw; often $10-25Stagger sessions; cap site power; battery buffer
Fixed charges and ridersMonthly service, grid access and regulatory feesRate selection; EV-specific tariffs
Taxes and surchargesState and local additionsUsually fixed
Infrastructure (optional)Amortized chargers, wiring, transformersUtility make-ready programs; grants

Ranges

Typical all-in depot cost per kWh

Ranges, not quotes; utility tariffs vary widely by territory.

All-in depot charging cost ranges, US 2026
ScenarioCost per kWhConditions
Optimized$0.07-0.11Demand charges well managed; most energy off-peak
Typical$0.10-0.18Basic time-of-use discipline
Poorly managed$0.18-0.30Peak-window charging; demand charges spike
Public DC fast charging$0.35-0.80US average $0.54 in Q3 2026

Sources

Sources and scope

Scope
All-in cost of depot charging for fleets in the US
Sources
Fleet charging cost guides (2026); Paren Q3 2026 (public prices); ElectronsX cost model
Updated
October 2026