Charging an electric vehicle at one of Arlington County's public stations is about to get a lot more expensive. The Arlington County Board has adopted an updated ordinance raising the base fee at county-owned public EV charging stations from 17.46 cents to 30 cents per kilowatt-hour, a 72 percent increase that takes effect Nov. 1.
The board approved the change on Oct. 20, according to WTOP News, which first reported the vote. For drivers, the math is straightforward: a 40-kilowatt-hour charging session that currently costs about $6.98 will rise to $12, an increase of $5.02 per session, according to Patch. The new rate applies across the county's 51 public charging ports.
County officials say the increase is meant to cover rising costs tied to electricity, administration, vendor fees and equipment. A board report filed with Arlington's meeting records lays out the fee as four separate components, including capital costs calculated at roughly 7.7 cents per kilowatt-hour, based on an average installation cost of $21,063 per charging port, annual energy use of 27,373 units per port, and a 10-year equipment lifespan, per county meeting documents.
Electricity Costs Driving the Increase
Much of the pressure comes from the price of power itself. The Virginia Energy Purchasing Governmental Association reported that electricity prices rose 25 percent system-wide at the start of the fiscal year, while accounts specifically serving Arlington's public EV chargers rose 23 percent, according to the same county board report. The board said the fee hike will help cover both charger capital costs and rising electricity costs.
That spike isn't unique to Arlington. VEPGA reported that the average electricity-rate increase for all 170 member localities was around 25 percent effective July 1, a jump that VPM News and the Virginia Association of Counties separately pegged at 24.9 percent overall for localities in Dominion Energy territory. VEPGA has warned members could see at least another 12 percent increase starting July 1, 2027, per the association's own figures.
VPM reports those cost increases stem partly from out-of-state power purchases and new infrastructure needed to meet growing electricity demand, particularly from data centers. In response, Virginia localities including Richmond have been pursuing energy conservation and efficiency measures to offset the higher rates, the outlet notes.
How Arlington's New Rate Compares
County officials framed the new 30-cent rate as consistent with other government-run charging programs in the region, noting it is in line with rates at government-owned stations in Fairfax County and Prince William County and remains below most commercial rates in the area, according to the board report. Fairfax County indeed charges the public 30 cents per kilowatt-hour at its county-owned stations, per Government Fleet, which also notes Fairfax tacks on a $2-per-hour fee, capped at $25 per day, for vehicles that linger after charging is complete.
Arlington's own commercial charging rates have historically run higher. A 2022 county filing found commercial EV charging prices in Arlington generally ranging from 22 cents to 79 cents per kilowatt-hour, well above the new government rate.
Usage Climbing Even Before the Price Jump
The fee increase comes as demand for Arlington's charging network has been climbing. County stations averaged a 20 percent utilization rate during the first half of 2026, notably higher than cited national level-2 charger utilization rates of roughly 7 to 15 percent, according to the board report. Charging activity during that same six-month stretch reached about 65 percent of the total recorded for all of 2025, per Patch's reporting.
The county also projects the rate hike will generate an estimated $61,000 in additional revenue beyond the adopted $85,000 budget, documents show.
Board Orders Review of Vendor Contracts
Alongside the fee increase, Arlington County Board members directed the county manager to review existing contracts with EV charging providers. The goal, per Patch's report, is to negotiate changes that eliminate any contractor-specific fees added on top of what the county has established, ensuring providers aren't tacking on charges that were not agreed upon.
