How much does it cost to recharge a 13.5 kWh battery in District of Columbia?

At the average rate of 25.41¢/kWh, recharging a 13.5 kWh home battery costs approximately $3.43 (baseline) or about $3.81 with 10% charging losses.

How much does a gasoline generator cost to run per hour?

Under our assumptions (0.75 gal/hr at $3.75/gallon), a typical gasoline generator costs about $2.81 per hour to run.

Is recharging a home battery cheaper than running a generator in District of Columbia?

One 13.5 kWh battery recharge with losses costs about $3.81 in District of Columbia. That equals roughly 1.4 hours of generator operation at $2.81/hr. Whether battery or generator is cheaper depends on how many hours you run and how often you recharge.

What assumptions are used on this page?

We use: 13.5 kWh battery, 90% charging efficiency, 0.75 gal/hr generator fuel use, and $3.75/gallon gasoline. Electricity rates come from EIA data and vary by state.

Generator vs Battery Cost in District of Columbia

This page compares the cost to recharge a standard 13.5 kWh home battery with the hourly fuel cost of a typical gasoline generator. Both figures are operating costs only—no purchase price or maintenance.

Electricity rate

25.41 ¢/kWh

13.5 kWh recharge

$3.43

13.5 kWh (with losses)

$3.81

Generator fuel/hr

$2.81

Cost Comparison

Scenario	Cost
13.5 kWh battery recharge (baseline)	$3.43
13.5 kWh battery recharge (with losses)	$3.81
Generator operating cost per hour	$2.81

Generator Hours at Equal Cost

In District of Columbia, one 13.5 kWh battery recharge with charging losses costs about $3.81. That equals roughly 1.4 hours of generator operation at $2.81/hr under the assumptions used on this page.

13.5 kWh Recharge vs National Average

13.5 kWh in District of Columbia

$3.43

13.5 kWh nationally

$2.61

Difference

+$0.82 (+31.5%)

Cost Comparison Chart

District of Columbia — electricity at 25.41¢/kWh, generator at $3.75/gal

This page compares operating/recharge cost only. It does not compare purchase cost, battery lifespan, maintenance, outage performance, noise, installation, or safety.

More Data & Comparisons

Battery recharge cost in District of Columbia — Recharge cost by battery size
Electricity cost in District of Columbia — Rates, value score, affordability
Electricity cost calculator for District of Columbia — Usage-based estimates
Full District of Columbia knowledge page — Rates, value score, affordability, trends
All states generator vs battery cost

Related electricity pages

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to recharge a 13.5 kWh battery in District of Columbia?: At the average rate of 25.41¢/kWh, recharging a 13.5 kWh home battery costs approximately $3.43 (baseline) or about $3.81 with 10% charging losses.
How much does a gasoline generator cost to run per hour?: Under our assumptions (0.75 gal/hr at $3.75/gallon), a typical gasoline generator costs about $2.81 per hour to run.
Is recharging a home battery cheaper than running a generator in District of Columbia?: One 13.5 kWh battery recharge with losses costs about $3.81 in District of Columbia. That equals roughly 1.4 hours of generator operation at $2.81/hr. Whether battery or generator is cheaper depends on how many hours you run and how often you recharge.
What assumptions are used on this page?: We use: 13.5 kWh battery, 90% charging efficiency, 0.75 gal/hr generator fuel use, and $3.75/gallon gasoline. Electricity rates come from EIA data and vary by state.