Electric Car Charging Stations in Rhode Island
As of 2022, Providence has the most electric car charging stations in Rhode Island—but Warwick might be catching up soon.
Written by Andrew Hobson
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, there are 278 public charging stations for electric cars in Rhode Island. You can find one close to you using an online map.
Rhode Island is making massive strides to become an electric car haven! Governor Dan McKee launched his DRIVEEV rebate program in 2022, which allows for $23 million in federal funding to bolster Rhode Island’s usage of electric vehicles across every sector. Included in this budget is $3.38 million that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has allocated towards strengthening the state’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
If you own an electric car or plug-in hybrid in Rhode Island, odds are you have figured out a way to juice up your ride at home—but what if you’re out on a drive miles from your home and your vehicle needs a charge? The licensed
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Where to find electric vehicle charging stations in Rhode Island
To find your closest EV charging location, you will first need to understand the varying
kinds of charging equipment offered at these stations—and which charging equipment best suits your vehicle.
- Level 1: Also known as “trickle-charging,” this refers to the 120-volt charging using your household power outlet. Level 1 is ideal for hybrids as the 3 to 5 miles of range per hour translates into needing 24 to 30 hours to fill up your electric vehicle.
- Level 2: Ranging from 208 to 240 volts, Level 2 is ideal for home charging stations with charging taking between 4 and 8 hours.
- Level 3: Commonly referred to as DC Fast charging, Level 3 uses a direct current to charge your vehicle at a speed of up to 20 miles per minute.
- Tesla Supercharger: Tesla’s proprietary, 480-volt direct current fast-charging technology
In Rhode Island, most of the charging systems available to the public are either Level 2 or Level 3 / DC Fast systems. Tesla Superchargers can be found at only 12 of Rhode Island’s 278 public charging stations with 61 ports available. There is only one Level 1 charging station available in the state, which makes sense due to the glacial pace it takes for a Level 1 port to achieve a full charge.
Here are two helpful websites charting EV Charging Stations in Rhode Island:
Rhode Island cities with the most EV charging stations
City | Total number of public charging stations | Level 2 Stations | DCFC stations | Tesla stations | Free stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Providence | 115 | 112 | 3 | 0 | 62 |
Warwick | 88 | 81 | 6 | 1 | 71 |
Johnston | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
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How much does it cost to charge an electric car in Rhode Island?
With gas prices soaring, driving an EV looks more and more like a viable, cheap solution—it
may be cheaper than gas, on average, but it’s not free. Here’s what you can expect when you charge your EV in Rhode Island.
Level 1 chargers may take the longest to juice up your ride, but on the plus side, Level 1 chargers are usually free to use. If you do find yourself having to pay for Level 1 charging, it's typically the cheapest method with costs ranging on average from $1.50 to $14 depending on your battery size.
Once you step up in class, costs tend to climb as well. Level 2 charging may be free at some stations, but you will usually be charged about $0.20 to $0.30 per kWh. This averages out to cost between $8 and $40 to stay fully charged. Costs will vary depending on your vehicle and the time spent charging it. Charging your car for an hour will, obviously, cost way less than charging overnight at a hotel.
Level 3, or DC Fast Chargers as they are known, are far and away the most efficient type of charging station. Their costs are similar to Level 2 costs with the national average coming in at $0.35/kWh, averaging a full charge out to somewhere between $10 and $30.
Additional costs may be incurred, especially if you have to pay for parking at certain charging locations. But due to the increasing popularity of EVs across the United States, some locations have created memberships, allowing you to pay a monthly fee to keep your car juiced up.
Rhode Island electric vehicle incentives
As mentioned earlier, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee put his DRIVEEV initiative in place in mid-2022 to facilitate EV ownership in Rhode Island. For the purchase or lease of either a new battery electric vehicle or a fuel-cell electric vehicle, rebates of up to $2,500 are available.
The DRIVEEV program also offers rebates of up to $1,500 for the purchase or lease of any used BEVs (battery electric vehicles) or FCEVs (fuel-cell electric vehicles) as well as $750 for any used plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
If you are planning to cash in on this rebate program, do not procrastinate—the rebates are reserved and awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
How to save on electric car insurance in Rhode Island
If you drive an electric car in Rhode Island, you’re saving a ton on fuel costs, but chances are you’re still paying a very high insurance rate. Rhode Island has a high population density rate which translates to a higher accident rate. Then there’s the fact that electric cars, especially the high-end models,
cost more to insure
due to their specialized parts and coverage needs. Now with
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