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Owning an EV in Maine: Charging Cost, Incentives, and More

Updated: August 13, 2023 by Duncan Dodsworth

Expansive rivers and parks, seemingly endless coastline, famed fisheries and lobsters make Maine special. Electric vehicles probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Maine. But with the growing popularity of EVs, residents of the state, in particular, might wonder whether owning an EV makes sense. See exactly how well-equipped Maine is for E Vs and the typical charging costs.

Owning an EV in Maine: Charging Infrastructure

When it comes to the availability of EV chargers, Maine is fairly well-positioned. The state ranks 11th in the country for the number of EV chargers relative to the population. So overall, chargers are relatively abundant. The state has slightly over 600 chargers. But since Maine isn’t densely populated, this does mean quite a high number per individual.

Types of Charging Stations in Maine

Level 2 is the most common type of charger in Maine, with almost 500 stations in the state. Around 25 Level 1 chargers and approximately 140 DC fast chargers are available. If you’re looking for a fast charger, you’d be best served in Portland, which generally has the most chargers. But you can also find fast charging around Bar Harbor, Lewiston, Augusta and Bangor.

Level 1 chargers

Out of all the chargers, Level 1 only makes up around 3.8% of all chargers in Maine. The downside is you’ll find only a couple in Portland, Waterville, Bar Harbor and Augusta, but not anywhere else. The upside is that Level 1 charging tends to be slow, taking around 12 to 24 hours or more. So, you probably won’t find much use for them if you’re on the go.

Level 2 chargers

As previously mentioned, Level 2 chargers are the most likely type you’ll come across and make up over 70% of all charger types in Maine. However, there is a distinct lack of chargers around the Milo and Lincoln areas. Because Level 2 chargers rely on a voltage of 240 V, they charge a lot faster than Level 1. You can expect a charge around 5 times faster, in the range of around 4 to 6 hours.

DC fast charging

As the name suggests, DC fast charging offers the quickest charging times possible. Around a fifth of Maine’s EV chargers are of the DC variety. These can be found in many places, including Bangor, Augusta, Lewiston, Bar Harbor, Waterville, Portland and Biddeford. You can also find a lone DC charger in remote locations like Jackman and Skowhegan. These 480 V chargers are the quickest of the lot and can even fully charge an EV in half an hour in some cases. As such, these are popular among travellers and long-haulers.

Maine also has a few Tesla Supercharger locations. A couple can be found in Portland, and you can also find one in Ellsworth, Bangor, Waterville, Farmington, Bethel, Medway and Jackman.

Which charging stations can you use?

Chances are, your EV will be compatible with the vast majority of chargers in Maine. Most EVs in the U.S. work with CCS chargers. Combined Charging System combines the standard J 1772 connector type with some extra pins required for DC fast charging. So, any EV with this connector type can charge at Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 fast charging stations without an additional connector cord.

The exception to this rule is some models from Mitsubishi and Nissan, such as the LEAF, which use CHAdeMO chargers. This charger type is mostly used in Europe and Japan and is being phased out in the U.S. However, if you rely on this connector type, you’ll need an extra cord to use J 1772 ports.

Of course, we couldn’t discuss EV charging without mentioning the famed Teslas. As you can expect, these rely on their Tesla-branded connector type, which is used for all types of charging with nothing extra needed.

Where are the Charging Stations in Maine Located?

Charging stations can be found across the state but are most common in the south. The Portland area is your best bet, closely followed by Augusta, Bar Harbor, Waterville, Lewiston and Bangor. Check out these EV maps from PlugShare and Efficiency Maine to locate one near you.

Cost of Owning an EV in Maine

While charging stations are within reach in Maine, electricity costs aren’t particularly affordable. Ranking as the 10th most expensive state for home electricity costs, your energy bill is certainly going to be higher than average when charging your EV at home. But how does this compare to public charging across popular EV models? Take a look below to find out.

Tesla Model Y

Luckily, the ban on direct sales from car manufacturers doesn’t apply to Maine. Oddly, no Tesla stores operate in Maine, so you’ll have to purchase a model out of state. Keep in mind this will incur sales tax according to Maine’s tax laws and not the state you bought your Tesla.

The ever-popular Tesla Model Y retails costs $55,000 for the base model and $3,000 more for the Performance model. You can expect around 300 miles of range from the Performance model and about 330 miles from the base Long Range model.

Juicing up your EV at a Tesla Supercharger costs roughly 21 cents per kWh (kilowatt-hour). Charging the 75 kWh battery to full will set you back $16. Charging at home would incur a fee somewhere between $12 and $13. This isn’t a huge saving, but it will definitely add up to something appreciable in the long term.

F-150 Lightning

If you love pickup trucks, you can’t pass up the F-150 Lightning from Ford. The base model costs pretty much the same as a basic Tesla Model Y at around $55,000, but the Platinum model commands a much higher price of around $100,000. It’s nice to get options when it comes to the battery – you’re looking at either the 98 kWh standard battery or the extended 131 kWh battery. You should expect around 230 miles of range for the former and 300 miles for the latter.

To juice up your F-150 at a public charging station, you’ll likely pay $1.00 to $1.50 an hour in Maine. As such, a full charge of the F-150 with the standard battery would be around $11.50 at a conservative estimate. Meanwhile, home charging is around $16. So, you’re better off charging in public. Again, this is mostly due to the state’s steep home electricity costs.

Chevrolet Bolt

One of the hottest EVs to come out in recent years has got to be the Bolt from Chevrolet. This EV delivers on style with all the comfort and connectivity options you’d expect from a modern vehicle. Prices begin at $26,595 for the 2023 model, which is around $6,000 cheaper than the previous year. For the SUV style, you can expect to pay around $1,500 more. With its 65 kWh battery, the Bolt reportedly gives around 259 miles of range on a full charge.

When it comes to the all-important charging cost, you can expect a similar investment to the F-150 of around $13 at a public station. At-home charging will cost around $11, which is slightly cheaper.

Nissan LEAF

The LEAF from Nissan is an exciting and affordable EV car. The S 2023 model starts at $27,800 and goes up to $35,800 for the SV Plus. A key difference between the models is the 40 kWh of the former being upgraded to 60 kWh. As such, the range increases from approximately 150 miles to 210 miles.

The smaller battery will cost around $7.50 to charge publicly and around $6.60 at home. Because of the economical aspect of the LEAF, owning an EV in Maine is possible.

Owning an EV in Maine: Incentives

We’ve seen the less-than-desirable energy prices in Maine, but luckily, there are some incentives to help you tame EV costs.

Federal Incentive

This nationwide incentive grants eligible persons a $7,500 income tax credit for their EV purchase. However, this does rely on factors like where the EV was assembled, your income limits and the vehicle cost. Go to the United States Department of Energy site to check your eligibility.

Maine EV Rebate

Maine offers an incentive for purchasing an EV, and it’s automatically applied at the point of sale at a participating dealer. The amount of the rebate depends on whether the EV is a new Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), a new Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) or a used BEV or PHEV. This could be anywhere from $1,000 to $7,500, depending on vehicle type and household income. Check out the Efficiency Maine website for eligibility criteria.

Owning an EV in Maine: Is it Worth it?

If you’re filling up a gas guzzler in Maine, you’re looking at a cost of around $40. This means that, even with the states’ particularly high energy prices, you’ll still enjoy a much-reduced bill when charging an EV. If you plan on charging your vehicle at home, it’s wise to be wary of charger installation costs. This could be anywhere from $700 to $2,000. While this upfront cost is nothing to sniff at, you’ll likely come out on top over time, as EVs usually attract lower maintenance costs than their gas-powered cousins. Even though you will likely save money with an EV, their costs tend to drop rapidly yearly. As such, you may want to hold out for a while until they become even more affordable.

Up Next…

Owning an EV in Maine: Charging Cost, Incentives, and More FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Does Maine have EV incentives?

You can make use of the Federal incentive of up to $7,500, as well as Maine’s instant rebate. This could be anywhere from $1,000 to $7,500 depending on model and your household income.

How does Maine rank for EVs?

As far as density of charging stations per population goes, Maine ranks 11^th in the U.S. When it comes to energy costs, however, Maine is the 10^th most expensive state.

Which cities in Maine have the most charging stations?

The most abundant locations in terms of stations are Portland and the surrounding areas – Augusta, Bar Harbor, Lewiston, Waterville and Bangor.

Can you buy a Tesla in Maine?

You can’t buy a Tesla directly in Maine, but you can buy one out of state. You will be subject to sales tax according to Maine’s laws, though, rather than the state in which you purchased the Tesla.

How many EVs are registered in Maine?

There are 3,040 EVs registered in Maine as of June 2022.

Will I save money with an EV in Maine?

It’s very likely you’ll save money if you don’t go for the most expensive models. Be sure to check your local public charging prices, as these can come out cheaper than a home charge, especially considering the installation costs. In the long term, EVs work out cheaper than maintaining gas cars, so overall, owning an EV is a good bet.