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Maximize rewards on electric vehicle charging

Best Credit Cards for EV Charging (2026)

Electric vehicle owners spend $400-1,000/year on public charging, and that number is growing as more EVs hit the road. With the right card, you can earn 3-5% back on every charge — at Tesla Superchargers, ChargePoint, EVgo, Electrify America, and more.

There's a catch: EV charging is still a relatively new bonus category. Only a handful of cards specifically include it, while many gas-focused cards are starting to evolve. Home charging (your electricity bill) almost never earns bonus rates — it codes as a utility.

Here are the cards that actually reward you for plugging in.

Test your monthly charging spend below or use our full rewards calculator.

Top Cards for EV Charging

#1
US Bank Cash+
Choose-Your-Category
$60/yr
5%
Reward Rate
5% on EV charging (choose as a category)
Annual Fee
$0
Signup Bonus
$200 after $1,000 spend
The only card that explicitly lets you choose "EV charging" as a 5% category. Pair it with your other spending categories and rotate quarterly if needed. No annual fee makes this an EV owner's best friend.
#2
Citi Strata Premier
Travel & Transit
$48/yr
3x
Reward Rate
3x on EV charging, gas, and transit
Annual Fee
$95 ($0 net with hotel credit)
Signup Bonus
60,000 points ($600 travel value)
3x on EV charging is one of the highest fixed rates available. The $100 annual hotel credit effectively makes this $0/year if you stay in hotels. Great all-around travel card that covers both gas AND charging.
#3
Wells Fargo Autograph
No-AF Multi-Category
$36/yr
3x
Reward Rate
3x on gas & transit (includes some EV charging)
Annual Fee
$0
Signup Bonus
20,000 points ($200+) after $1,000
3x on gas & transit at no annual fee. Many EV charging stations code as gas or transit, making this a solid no-AF option. Not all chargers code correctly — check your statement.

How EV Charging Stations Code

EV charging is still evolving as a merchant category. Here's how the major networks typically code:

  • Tesla Supercharger: Usually MCC 5552 (EV charging) or 5541 (gas stations) — eligible for EV/gas bonuses on most cards
  • ChargePoint: Usually MCC 5552 (EV charging) — directly covered by cards with EV charging categories
  • EVgo: Usually MCC 5552 — directly covered
  • Electrify America: Usually MCC 5552 — directly covered
  • PlugShare-participating stations: Varies — check your statement
  • Home charging (utility bill): Codes as MCC 4900 (utilities) — no bonus on any card. Use a flat 2% card instead.

EV Charging Math: How Much Can You Earn?

The average EV driver spends about $50-80/month on public charging. Here's what that earns:

  • 1% (standard card): $6-10/year
  • 3% (Citi Strata Premier, Wells Fargo Autograph): $18-29/year
  • 5% (US Bank Cash+): $30-48/year

EV charging alone won't justify an annual fee, but if you also earn bonus rates on gas and transit (dual-fuel households), the value compounds quickly.

Best Strategy for EV + Gas Households

If you own both an EV and a gas car:

  1. Citi Strata Premier — 3x on both EV charging AND gas stations, plus 3x on dining and hotels
  2. US Bank Cash+ — 5% on EV charging (choose quarterly), 2% on gas
  3. Flat 2% card (Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash) for home charging bills

This three-card combo earns 2-5% on every driving expense.

Compare Other Categories

Want to compare all categories? Try our full rewards calculator.