faq EV Charging Guide

Is It Cheaper to Charge at Tesla or Electrify America?

The direct answer, the membership math that can flip it, and the one fee that surprises people at both networks.

Tesla is cheaper for a one-off charge: $0.42–$0.49/kWh at Superchargers versus $0.48/kWh standard at Electrify America. But Electrify America flips the comparison if you charge there even twice a month — its Pass+ membership ($7.99/mo) drops the rate to roughly $0.36/kWh, below almost any Supercharger. The honest answer is: Tesla without memberships, EA with one.

The numbers side by side

ScenarioTesla SuperchargerElectrify America
Standard rate$0.42–$0.49/kWh$0.48/kWh
With membershipNo membership exists (Tesla owners)~$0.36/kWh with Pass+ ($7.99/mo)
Non-Tesla vehicleSame rate (+$12.99/mo membership drops it to Tesla-owner pricing)Same as any vehicle
Idle fee$1.00/min when site is >50% full$0.40/min after 10-minute grace

A typical road-trip session of 50 kWh costs about $21–$24.50 at a Supercharger, $24 at EA standard, or roughly $18 at EA with Pass+.

The break-even math

Pass+ pays for itself at about 65 kWh per month — one full charge. Charging a 300-mile trip’s worth monthly at EA? Get Pass+, charge cheaper than Tesla. Passing through EA territory once a quarter? Skip it, and Tesla wins on price.

For non-Tesla drivers, Tesla’s own membership works the same way: $12.99/month drops Supercharger pricing to the Tesla-owner rate, breaking even around two Supercharger sessions a month.

What the per-kWh price hides

Delivered speed changes effective value. EA’s 350 kW hardware outruns Tesla’s 250 kW V3 — but only for 800V vehicles, and EA’s measured session-start reliability still trails Tesla’s. A failed session costs time, which is the real road-trip currency. The full measured comparison across all twelve dimensions is in our network table, and the deep dives are the Tesla and EA complete profiles.


About this guide

Updated 2026-07-18. Written by Chester Beard for The Juice Index. Information verified from manufacturer specifications, network pricing pages, and NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center data.