Electric Car Charging Stations in Maine
As of 2022, Portland has the most EV charging stations in Maine, but state initiatives are looking to expand charging access to rural areas.
Written by Maxine Boyko
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
According to PlugShare.com, there are 2,682 public charging stations for electric cars in Maine. You can find one close to you using an online map.
Maine is seeing an electric car boom. Under Gov. Phil Murphy’s plan to put 330,000 electric vehicles (EVs) on Maine roads by 2025, the Garden State is offering $5,000 rebates on EV purchases, along with other incentive programs. And the state’s public charging infrastructure is expanding to keep up with growth.
If you own an electric car or plug-in hybrid, you likely have a way to charge up at home—but what about when you’re on the road? Trusted
car insurance
broker app Jerry
is here to help you find public charging stations for your EV in Maine. As a bonus, we’ll help you lower your Maine car insurance costs
, too! Where to find electric vehicle charging stations in Maine
Before you drain all the power from your electric vehicle, you’ll first want to know where to bring it to recharge. Let’s go over the range of charging equipment available and what type you’ll need.
- Level 1: Equal to a 120-volt household outlet; charging can last over 24 hours; ideal for plug-in hybrids
- Level 2: 220 volts; takes between 4 and 8 hours to charge; ideal for charging at home
- Level 3: Alternatively known as DC fast charging; charges at a rate of up to 20 miles per minute; ideal for road trips
- Tesla Supercharger: Tesla’s proprietary DC fast chargers; most plugs per site on average
The overwhelming majority of the public chargers in Maine are Level 2, followed by DC fast chargers. Tesla Superchargers are rather rare, but there are currently 15 scattered throughout the state in cities and more populated areas.
While a Level 1 charger will take a pretty long time (you’re better off charging at home), there are five stations in the state open to public use, including one at the Steamboat Landing Gas Station in Bar Harbor and Maple Hill Farm Inn and Conference Center in Hallowell.
Maine cities with the most EV charging stations
City | Total number of public charging stations | DCFC stations | Tesla stations | Free stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Portland (including South Portland) | 68 | 10 | 1 | 20 |
Kennebunk | 28 | 10 | 2 | 6 |
Scarborough | 25 | 4 | 0 | 9 |
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How much does it cost to charge an electric car in Maine?
The cost of powering an EV is much cheaper than filling up a gas tank—and sometimes it’s even free! Here are the average EV charging costs in Maine.
Level 1 chargers are typically free to use. But if you must pay for this type of charging, it’s typically $1.00 to $1.50 per hour at most. Oftentimes, businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and casinos will offer complimentary charging.
Level 2 charging gets slightly more expensive. You should expect to see around $0.25 per kWh and an additional small “session fee”. Sometimes, however, you may encounter a flat fee of around $40. Of course, your total costs depend on your exact vehicle and how long you will need to charge it.
DC fast chargers are extremely efficient and charge rather quickly but may cost slightly more than other charging methods. Some stations make it quite economical, though, or work out payment plans as low as $0.12 per kWh or a flat fee of $10.
To keep things moving at some plazas with chargers, there is a limit of $50.00 per session. Oftentimes, charging costs $0.42/kWh for Level 3 and $0.40/kWh for Level 2.
Keep in mind certain places may ask you to call ahead for availability or register at an office desk and pay.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversMaine electric vehicle incentives
The Governor's Energy Office provides electric vehicle incentives to Maine residents in the form of rebates—in addition to the updated
federal EV tax credit initiatives
implemented in August 2022.Individuals can reclaim up to $7,500 in rebates for a new battery-electric vehicle purchased directly from the manufacturer. The total awarded rebate amount will be determined based on your income, the model, and the vehicle’s sticker price.
You can review
Efficiency Maine’s electric vehicle rebates webpage
for more details. To see a list of qualifying vehicles, check the state’s EV rebates eligible vehicles list
. In addition to the instant rebates and federal tax credits, car manufacturers may also provide their own instant rebates from month to month. So it’s important to ask your dealership what they participate in and their qualification requirements.
Taking advantage of EV incentives is great, but what if you live in an area with limited infrastructure and public charging stations? Luckily, Maine is using its $19 million in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program funds to expand public EV charging over the next five years.
The state is also focusing on funding for public Level 2 chargers in rural communities. Interested governments, businesses, tribal governments, and non-profit organizations in eligible towns can apply for this Funding Opportunity Notice and learn more about the opportunity on
Efficiency Maine’s FON webpage
.MORE: Maine electric vehicle incentives
How to save on electric car insurance in Maine
Driving an electric car in Maine can be a great way to save money, particularly when it comes to fuel costs and cashing in on tax credits and rebates. On the other hand, electric cars are usually more expensive to insure than their gas-powered counterparts—mainly because of the higher repair costs.
While
Tesla Model 3 insurance costs
average about $3,213 a year, Maine’s most popular vehicle
, the Ford F-150, averages around $1,100. Where you live is another important factor in determining your insurance rate.
Bangor insurance costs
, for example, outpace many areas of the state at roughly $2,300 annually. Smaller towns like Houlton enjoy much lower annual rates—closer to $600 on average. Fortunately,
Jerry
makes it so you don’t have to worry about where you live or what you drive. Our car insurance comparison tool pools rates from a trusted network of over 55 insurance companies and sends you the best deals. Users save an average of over $800 each year!“I was paying $350 a month for my new car. WithJerry, I set up a new policy in under 30 minutes that will save me over $1,000 a year!” —Mariah K.
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