Measure EV Charging Electricity at Home
Electric vehicles are changing the way we drive, but one question continues to puzzle many EV owners:
How much does it really cost to charge your EV at home?
Most people look at their monthly electric bill and make an educated guess. Unfortunately, that’s all it is—a guess. Your utility bill combines every appliance, light, HVAC system, and electronic device in your home into one total. Without measuring your EV charger separately, there’s no way to know exactly how much electricity your vehicle is using.
If you want to stop guessing your EV charging costs, it’s time to measure them accurately.
The Smart Way to Measure Your EV Charging Expenses
The most reliable way to determine your EV’s operating cost is by installing a dedicated energy meter on your charging circuit. Instead of relying on estimates from your vehicle or charging app, you’ll have real-world data showing exactly how much electricity is delivered to your EV.
A DAE DEM730P or DAE P153-200-S KIT kWh submeter, installed inside a DAE B1722 electrical enclosure in your garage, continuously monitors the electricity supplied to your EV charger, providing an accurate record of every kilowatt-hour (kWh) used for charging.
Whether you’re monitoring costs, comparing charging habits, or tracking long-term energy consumption, dedicated metering provides the information your utility bill simply can’t.
Track Every Kilowatt: Know Exactly What Your EV Costs
Electricity rates vary throughout the year, and many utilities now offer Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing. Charging during peak hours can cost considerably more than charging overnight.
With a dedicated meter, you can:
- Know every kilowatt your EV uses.
- Calculate the exact cost of every charging session.
- Compare monthly charging expenses.
- Monitor changes in charging efficiency.
- Verify electricity usage for reimbursement or business purposes.
- Identify opportunities to reduce charging costs.
Rather than estimating your expenses, you’ll know precisely how much energy your vehicle consumes.
Is Your EV Saving You Money? Here’s How to Find Out
One of the biggest advantages of owning an electric vehicle is lower operating costs—but how much are you actually saving?
Once your DAE DEM730P or DAE P153-200-S KIT records the total energy used, calculating charging costs is simple.
Example:
- Monthly EV charging: 325 kWh
- Electricity rate: $0.16 per kWh
325 × $0.16 = $52.00
Now compare that cost with what you would have spent on gasoline for the same mileage. Having accurate data allows you to measure the true financial benefits of driving electric instead of relying on assumptions.
Take Control of Your Home EV Charging Costs
Understanding your EV’s energy consumption isn’t just about curiosity—it’s about making informed decisions.
Dedicated energy monitoring can help you:
- Schedule charging during lower-cost hours.
- Compare the efficiency of different electric vehicles.
- Detect unusual increases in energy usage.
- Budget household electricity more accurately.
- Evaluate future energy upgrades such as solar panels or battery storage.
The more you know about your charging habits, the easier it becomes to control your energy expenses.
The Missing Piece in Your Home EV Charging Setup
Many homeowners invest thousands of dollars in an electric vehicle and home charger but never install a dedicated energy meter.
Without one, it’s difficult to answer important questions such as:
- How much electricity does my EV really use?
- How much does each charge cost?
- Is my charging efficiency changing over time?
- Am I getting the savings I expected?
Adding a revenue-grade meter fills this information gap and provides dependable, long-term data.
How to Add Energy Monitoring to Your Garage EV Charger
Installing a DAE electrical meter on your dedicated EV charging circuit is a straightforward upgrade.
The meter is typically mounted inside a listed electrical enclosure in your garage alongside the charging circuit. Once installed, it continuously measures the electricity flowing to your charger while remaining protected from accidental contact and environmental conditions.
This professional installation provides years of accurate monitoring with very little maintenance.
Monitor Your EV Energy Like a Pro
Professional installers and energy-conscious homeowners understand that accurate EV charging starts with accurate metering.
For greater visibility, the DAE Cloud Metering System is available when paired with the DAE CC2030 KIT. The CC2030 automatically collects energy data from compatible DAE electrical meters and securely transmits it to the cloud through a standard Ethernet connection.
With a PC, smartphone, or tablet, you can monitor your energy usage and generate billing reports from virtually anywhere. The DAE Cloud Metering System provides access to:
- Real-time energy data
- Monthly kWh usage reports
- Billing reports
- Time-of-Use (TOU) billing reports
This makes it easy to monitor EV charging costs, allocate electricity expenses, or bill tenants accurately from virtually anywhere.
Best of all, no IT expertise is required. Simply connect the wiring as shown in the installation photos or video, connect the gateway to your Ethernet network, and you’re ready to start monitoring your energy usage through the cloud.
Unlike estimates generated by mobile apps, a revenue-grade energy meter measures the actual electricity supplied from your home’s electrical panel to the charging equipment. Combined with DAE Cloud Metering, you’ll have instant access to accurate energy data wherever you are.
Monitor Your EV Charging Anytime, Anywhere
Measuring your EV charging electricity is only the beginning. Pairing a DAE DEM730P or DAE P153-200-S KIT energy meter with the DAE CC2030 KIT gives you a complete cloud-based energy monitoring solution for your home EV charging system. Whether you’re a homeowner tracking charging expenses or a landlord managing tenant electricity usage, this complete solution provide accurate, cloud-based energy monitoring that’s easy to install and simple to use.
For today’s EV owner, understanding energy usage is just as important as understanding driving range. With accurate metering and cloud access, you’ll always know what your EV costs to charge—no estimates, no guesswork, just reliable data every time you plug in.
For more information about our energy monitoring solutions, please contact us. Our team will be happy to answer your questions and help you find the right solution for your application.
Phone: +1 (248) 635-3708
Email: info@daecontrols.com