California man who's driven used $25K Tesla Model 3 for a month without home charger shares how much it's cost him
Published on Aug 25, 2025 at 9:05 PM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Aug 22, 2025 at 3:05 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A used Tesla Model 3 sounds like the budget-friendly way into EV life, but what happens when you don’t have a home charger?
One California driver has been putting that to the test with his 2018 Model 3, picked up for $25,000 with 70,000 miles on the clock.
For the past month, he’s been commuting, supercharging, and milking every work perk he can to keep costs down.
Now he’s crunched the numbers, and the reality might surprise you.
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The real cost of running a used Tesla with no home charger
His setup is simple: a 2018 Model 3, financed at seven percent interest with a $327 monthly payment, plus $155 for Tesla Insurance – only slightly more than his old Nissan Altima.
Charging is where it gets tricky.
He has no home charger, so 37 percent of his charging comes from free workplace plugs and 63 percent from Tesla Superchargers. Prices there range from 32-50 cents/kWh, so savings are slim unless you’ve got free juice.
In just over a month, he’s spent $191 on charging.
Gas for the same miles would’ve cost $279, meaning the $88 saved came entirely from work charging.
His employer also kicks in a $50 EV stipend and about $100 a month in bonuses, which he throws at the loan.
Supercharging works fine if he plans it around errands – 20-30 minutes while shopping or at the gym.
But without free work charging? He admits he probably wouldn’t have gone for a Tesla.
Why he’d still recommend it – and what’s next
For this creator, the Model 3 is a great daily driver.
He loves the comfort, the way it drives, and being able to tweak everything from his phone.
Autopilot is also a lifesaver in traffic after long shifts.
Still, it’s not perfect.
He hates digging through the screen for basic controls, the glass roof cooks his scalp in summer, and the stock floor mats? Straight in the bin.
Aside from $200 on accessories, he hasn’t had any maintenance costs. He sees the car more as a work tool, using it for commuting and side gigs.
A home charger is on his list, which should make EV life even easier.
One month in, his used Model 3 is proving the no-home-charger life can work if you’ve got somewhere else to plug in for free.
Without that perk, he says, the math starts looking a whole lot different.
Watch the full review over on the Keep Going YouTube channel, or watch below:
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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.
