Electric Car Charging Stations in Montana
Bozeman leads the way with the most electric charging stations, but expect to see more public charging stations pop up across Montana.
Written by Jessica Gibson
Use an online map to locate one of Montana’s 701 public charging stations. You can filter the results to find the nearest station.
Montana has one of the lowest EV ownership rates in the country, so it definitely pays to do your research if you’re trying to charge an electric car in the state. Fortunately, Montana has $43 million in funding for direct-current charging stations, so finding a station should be getting easier!
In the meantime, turn to
Jerry
, the car insurance
comparison app. We’ve created this handy guide to charging your electric vehicle in big sky country. Plus, we’ll throw in tips for saving on Montana car insurance
!Where to find electric vehicle charging stations in Montana
Charging your vehicle isn’t as simple as pulling into any old charging station. You’ve got to know what type of charging equipment works with your car. When you search for stations, you’ll run into these levels of charging capacities:
- Level 1: Equal to a 120-volt household outlet; charging can take over 24 hours; the best option for plug-in hybrids
- Level 2: Equal to 220 volts; charging usually takes between 4 and 8 hours; the best for home charging
- Level 3: (Also called DC fast charging or DCFC) charges at a rate of up to 20 miles per minute; great for road trips or public charging
- Tesla Supercharger: Tesla’s proprietary DC fast chargers; usually has more plugs per site than average
You won’t easily find Level 1 public chargers because it takes a day to reach full charge! If you want to seek them out, there is one in Billings and one in Kalispell. Instead, you’re more likely to spot Level 2 chargers (Montana has 116) or Tesla Superchargers.
Here are a few helpful websites that map out Montana’s electric charging stations:
- PlugShare:Lists pricing, parking info, and user reviews
Montana cities with the most EV charging stations
City | Total number of public charging stations | DCFC stations | Tesla stations | Free stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bozeman | 156 | 22 | 20 | 4 |
Billings | 93 | 9 | 4 | 5 |
Kalispell | 62 | 7 | 2 | 13 |
Missoula | 55 | 13 | 6 | 1 |
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How much does it cost to charge an electric car in Montana?
With gas prices going up, it’s certainly cheaper to charge your electric car—but don’t assume that charging is always free. Here’s a little snapshot of EV charging costs in Montana.
If you do happen to find a Level 1 charger and have plenty of time on your hands, great! Level 1 chargers are usually free! If there is a slight charge, it’s typically really low. You might have to pay around $0.20 per kWh, but the station might charge additional fees, so check first.
Depending on the station, you might be able to snag free Level 2 charging. If the station does charge, it’s usually a pretty modest fee—around $0.08 per kWh plus a charging fee of $1.55 per hour. Your actual costs depend on your vehicle, battery capacity, and how long you need to charge it. If you’re just getting a quick charge to get you on your way, you’re probably looking at a fee of $10 or less.
Cost to charge at DCFC stations in Montana
All of the DC fast chargers in Montana are privately owned, so expect prices to vary. Take a look at the table below for an overview of DCFC prices in Montana.
Company | Locations | Cost to charge | Approximate cost per mile | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tesla | Glendive, Miles City, Billings, Big Timber, Bozeman, Big Sky, Butte, Missoula, Superior, Helena, Great Falls, West Yellowstone, Lima | About $25 for 250 miles of range. | $0.10/mile | Only Tesla vehicles can charge at Tesla Super Charger stations. |
Electrify America | Butte (Rocker), Missoula, Dell | $0.12-$0.32/minute ($7.20-19.20 per hour) | $0.13-0.34/mile | Lower cost per minute for drivers who pay $10/month for a pass. |
Enel X | Taco Bells in Wye, Polson | $15/hour (0.25/minute) | $0.34/mile | |
EV Connect | Audi Dealership, Bozeman | N/A | N/A | N/A |
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In some cases, you might have to pay for parking at a charging station, but check whether these stations offer memberships that give you discounts and let you pay per month instead of as you go.
Montana electric vehicle incentives,
Unfortunately, Montana doesn’t offer EV incentives at this time. The state offered a tax credit for converting vehicles to operate using alternative fuels in the past, but that legislation was repealed in January 2022.
It is possible to get a hefty federal tax credit of up to $7,500 if you’re buying a new electric vehicle assembled in North America. You won’t get the tax credit immediately (unless the program changes)—you’ve got to file a separate form with the IRS to get the credit. You have until December 2023 to take advantage of this incentive.
Check into used EV tax credits, too. If you’re purchasing an EV for less than $25,000 from a dealership and the model is at least two model years old, you can claim a tax credit of 30% of the car’s value (with a $4,000 cap).
How to save on electric car insurance in Montana
By switching to an electric car, you’re already saving on car maintenance costs, but you’ve probably noticed your insurance premium go up. Electric vehicles have higher repair costs, so they’re
more expensive for insurers to cover
. They pass those high prices off to you in the form of a higher premium.For instance,
Tesla Model S insurance costs
average around $3,239. Compare that to the Chevy Impala (the most commonly insured car in Montana). Chevy Impala insurance costs
run around $1,993 a year. Quite a difference!While personal demographics and locations play a big role in your car insurance rates, you can score affordable insurance for your electric vehicle. Why not try
Jerry
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