Electric vehicles promise lower “fuel” bills, but the real question buyers care about is what shows up on the credit card every month. For drivers cross-shopping a Tesla Model 3 and a Kia EV6, the answer is not just about battery size, it is about efficiency, electricity prices, and how often they plug in. Put simply, the monthly cost gap is real, but it is smaller and more nuanced than the sticker specs suggest.
Both cars are relatively frugal compared with gas models, yet they sip electrons at different rates and rely on very different charging ecosystems. Once those pieces are laid out, it becomes clear why a Tesla owner might pay a little less each month than an EV6 driver with the same commute, and how smart charging habits can erase much of that difference.
How much energy each car actually uses
On paper, the Tesla Model 3 is built to stretch every kilowatt hour, and that shows up in official efficiency ratings. In federal testing, its Energy numbers are strong, with the EPA city figure listed as 134 M and the combined rating at 100 m in kWh per 100 miles, with combined efficiency of 131 M and highway at 126 M. European testing under WLTP shows a city figure of 12.6 k kWh per 100 km, underscoring how little energy the sedan needs to cover daily miles. In practical terms, that means a typical commuter can drive a full workweek on a relatively modest amount of electricity.
The Kia EV6, by contrast, leans on a larger battery and a more crossover-like shape, which nudges its consumption higher. In independent testing that pitted it against a Tesla Model 3 and other rivals, the sedan managed about 220 miles from a full charge while The EV carried the biggest pack at 77.4 kWh. Analysts looking at monthly budgets note that The Kia EV6 is slightly less energy efficient than the Tesla sedan, largely because of that larger battery and extra weight. That is the first clue to why the crossover tends to cost a bit more to “fuel” each month, even before electricity prices enter the picture.
Turning efficiency into a monthly dollar figure
Once efficiency is set, the next variable is what each kilowatt hour costs at the wall. Nationally, the Energy Information Administration tracks average residential rates through the EIA, with data aggregated by Data Commons. Those averages hide big regional swings, but they give a baseline for what a typical driver pays per kilowatt hour at home. Using that backdrop, consumer cost breakdowns estimate that a Tesla Model 3 owner spends roughly 42 dollars per month on charging, assuming a standard commute and mostly residential charging.
For the Kia EV6, those same assumptions yield a slightly higher bill. Analysts describe the Monthly Charging Cost driver faces as a bit steeper, landing in the 48 to 50 dollar range per month for similar mileage. One breakdown labels this as the Monthly Charging Cost gap between the two models, driven by the EV6’s larger pack and slightly higher consumption. In other words, the crossover might cost an extra cup of coffee or two each week to keep topped up, but it is still dramatically cheaper than filling a comparable gas SUV.
Home charging, public networks, and how habits change the math
Where and when drivers plug in can swing those monthly numbers up or down just as much as the car they choose. For EV6 owners, guidance on Electricity Costs notes that fully charging a KIA EV6 at home depends heavily on local rates, and that overnight or off peak charging can trim the bill significantly. In California, for example, Time of Use Rate Plans from Most California utilities offer EV specific discounts that can cut off peak prices by 50 percent or more compared with daytime rates. Separate guidance on state deals points out that Utility charging discounts from providers like PG&E, SCE, and SDG can shave 30 percent or more off home charging costs for drivers who plug in overnight.
Tesla owners have another lever: the company’s fast charging network, which is convenient but not always the cheapest option. Real world reports from EV6 drivers using Tesla hardware note that Both the A2Z and Kia branded adapters work and that one session started at 70% state of charge, with users pointing out that the posted rate for Tesla’s network was 0.37 dollars per kWh and that 84 kW was all the EV6 could pull at that site. Those details highlight a broader point: fast charging is great for road trips, but it can be more expensive per mile than a home outlet, especially for non Tesla drivers relying on adapters.
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