Electric Vehicle Charging Is No Longer Free In Manhattan Beach

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Electric vehicle owners in Manhattan Beach will now be charged to charge at stations in the city.

According to the city, the change is needed to support ongoing maintenance and service improvements. The transition to the paid use model began on Dec. 3.

"For years, residents and visitors have benefited from complimentary EV charging at city facilities," the city said in a statement. "This transition marks a step forward in maintaining a reliable and sustainable charging network for our community."

The new standard usage rate for charging will cost vehicle owners around $0.50 per kWh.

According to EV.guide, a website that serves as a resource for people to learn about electric vehicles, fully electric cars and crossovers typically have battery capacities between 50 kWh to 100 kWh. Pickup trucks and SUVs could have batteries as large as 200kWh.

So despite the new charge, Manhattan Beach electric vehicle drivers still pay less to charge up than it costs gas-powered cars to fill up their tanks. According to AAA, the current average gas price in California is $4.39 for regular gas.

To fully charge a 50 kWh capacity battery from empty, it would cost around $25 with the new Manhattan Beach rates. To fully fill up a typical US 15 gallon gas tank from empty, it would cost around $66 with the current average gas price.

For information about how to use charging stations in Manhattan Beach, visit the city's website.