Joseph Hostetler, CEPF

Updated

2 hours ago

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If you've got a gas-powered vehicle like 99% of the US, you've got myriad options for earning bonus rewards at gas stations. But while electric vehicles are gaining popularity, credit card issuers have been slow to adapt.

The EV industry hasn't become disruptive enough for charging stations to warrant an added bonus category to most credit cards — though US Bank has recently added EV charging stations to most of their cards that also feature gas stations as a bonus category.

A comparative few credit cards on the market specify that EV charging stations will receive bonus rewards. By opening the right card, you can earn extra points or cash back — sometimes even from cards that don't explicitly offer a bonus at electric vehicle charging stations.

Popular charging stations include:

• Tesla
• ChargePoint

Let's examine how to get the most return for EV charging expenses.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Compare the best cards for earning bonus rewards at EV charging stations

EV charging station credit card reviews

Best overall credit card for EV charging stations: U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card comes with a sign-up bonus of 50,000 points after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days from account opening. Altitude points are worth 1 cent each, no matter how you use them (cash back, gift cards, travel, etc.). That makes this bonus worth $500.

This is one of the only cards that specifically mention EV charging in its earnings rate. It treats these purchases exactly the same as gas. You'll receive:

• 5 points per dollar for prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center
• 4 points per dollar on travel, at gas stations, and at EV charging stations
• 2 points per dollar at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services
• 1 point per dollar everywhere else

With points worth 1 cent each in cash back, 4 points per dollar is effectively 4% cash back.

This card also offers a $30 annual streaming bonus toward Netflix, Apple TV+, Spotify, etc. And you'll get a statement credit to offset the application fee of Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) once every four years. Membership lasts five years, so you'll get free membership as long as you have the card open.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card comes with an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95.

Review: US Bank Altitude Connect Card review

Best credit card if you shop at Costco: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

The no-annual-fee Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has always been a great card for gas purchases, and it recently added EV charging as a bonus category. Cardholders earn: 

• 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging worldwide on up to $7,000 in spending each year (then 1%)
• 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases worldwide
• 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases

Earning 4% back on EV charging and gas is a great deal if you prefer cash back. Keep in mind you must be a Costco member to qualify for the card, and using rewards is a little challenging. You can only redeem your cash back with this card after your February billing statement closes. At that time, you'll receive a  "reward certificate" that you can redeem at a Costco warehouse for cash back or merchandise.

There's also a small-business version of this card — the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi — that offers similar reward rates and features.

Reviews: Costco Anywhere Visa Card review and Costco Anywhere Business Visa Card review

Best credit card for mobile wallets at EV charging stations: U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card comes with 50,000 points after you spend $4,500 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. These points are worth 1.5 cents toward travel, making this bonus worth $750 in travel.

This card doesn't (directly) offer electric vehicle charging stations as a bonus category. Here's what you'll get:

• 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center
• 3 points per dollar on eligible travel purchases and mobile wallet spending
• 1 point per dollar for all other eligible purchases

Here's the play: Stations like ChargePoint allow you to use contactless payment to foot the bill. Through the charging station's respective app, you can add your card via a mobile wallet like Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. As long as your Altitude Reserve Card codes your purchase as occurring through a mobile wallet, you'll get 3 points per dollar for EV charging. Again, 3 points per dollar equals 3% cash back — or 4.5% back toward travel.

Not all electric vehicle stations may take mobile wallets. Even if you pay through the proprietary app, you won't earn bonus rewards unless the transaction is processed with either Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or LG Pay.

This card incurs a $400 annual fee — but you'll get the following benefits:

• Up to $325 annual credit that reimburses travel and dining purchases
• Up to $100 statement credit every four years to offset the application fee for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
• 12-month Priority Pass Select membership (access to more than 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide)
• Visa Infinite benefits

If you'll both the Priority Pass Select membership and the $325 annual statement credit each year, this card is a steal. Just keep in mind that to qualify for this card, you must have an existing US Bank relationship, such as a savings or checking account.

Review: US Bank Altitude Reserve review

Best small-business credit card for EV charging stations: U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®

The U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard® comes with $500 cash back after spending $4,500 on purchases on the account holder's card in the first 150 days of opening your account. That's unusually lucrative for a card with a $0 annual fee.

This card includes electric vehicle charging stations as a bonus category along with gas stations. Here's what you'll get:

• 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the US Bank Travel Rewards Center
• 3% cash back at gas and EV charging stations
• 3% cash back at office supply stores
• 3% cash back on cell phone service providers
• 3% cash back at restaurants
• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases

Beyond that, you'll receive a $100 annual software credit, valid for eligible recurring business software subscriptions like FreshBooks or QuickBooks. And because this is a World Elite Mastercard, you'll get the associated benefits, such as Lyft credits, DoorDash credits, and free Shoprunner membership.

Review: US Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards card review

Best no-annual-fee credit card for EV charging stations: US Bank U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

The $0-annual-fee U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card comes with 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. The Altitude points you earn with this card are worth 1 cent each. That means this bonus is worth $200 in travel.

Again, electric vehicle charging stations are specifically mentioned as a bonus category for this card. You'll receive:

• 4x points on takeout, food delivery, and dining
• 2x points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, streaming services, gas stations, and EV charging stations
• 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Earning 2 Altitude points per dollar is equal to earning 2% cash back. You can redeem these points for cash, travel, gift cards, merchandise, etc.

The card also offers:

• $15 annual credit for streaming service purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• Visa Signature benefits (car rental discounts, extended warranty protection, access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, etc.)
• Roadside dispatch
• Travel and emergency assistance services

With no annual fee, there's no risk in opening this card to see if it fits your lifestyle. Even if you don't use it, it's free to keep year after year and can help build your credit history (which in turn can improve your credit score).

Review: U.S. Bank Altitude Go card review

Best credit card for travel rewards at EV charging stations: U.S. Bank FlexPerks® Gold American Express® Card

The U.S. Bank FlexPerks® Gold American Express® Card comes with a sign-up bonus of 30,000 bonus FlexPoints after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases on the card in the first four months from account opening. FlexPoints are worth 1.5 cents each toward travel, making this bonus worth $450 in flights, hotels, car rentals, and more.

This card offers some of the highest returns in bonus categories, but its EV charging station category isn't noteworthy. Here's what you'll get:

• 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and car rentals
• 3 points per dollar on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery
• 2 points per dollar at airlines, gas stations, and EV charging stations
• 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases

While this card earns the same number of points as the $0-annual-fee U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card, its rewards are worth 50% more. Earning 2 points per dollar on EV charging stations amounts to a return of 3% in travel.

You can also redeem your points as a statement credit, but you'll only receive a value of 1 cent each.

This card has an $85 annual fee — but it also comes with:

• Statement credit for either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) every five years (membership is valid for five years)
• Free Boingo Wi-Fi
• Amex Offers**
• No foreign transaction fees
• Secondary rental car insurance
• Emergency assistance and roadside assistance dispatch

Best credit card for charging your electric vehicle at home: U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card offers a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.

This is purely a cash-back credit card that comes with the following return rates:

• 5% cash back in two eligible categories of your choice, on up to $2,000 in combined spending each quarter (then 1%)
• 2% cash back at grocery stores, gas stations, EV charging stations, or restaurants
• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases

You must choose your 2% cash-back category with this card — either gas stations and EV charging stations, grocery stores, or restaurants. You can also choose two 5% bonus categories from the following list:

• Fast food
• Home utilities 
• TV, internet, and streaming services
• Department stores
• Electronic stores
• Cell phone providers
• Sporting goods stores
• Furniture stores
• Movie theaters
• Gyms and fitness centers
• Ground transportation
• Select clothing stores

By choosing home utilities as your 5% category, you can also receive a big bonus for charging your electric vehicle at home.

Other than solid earning rates, this card lacks ongoing benefits. The card is a Visa Signature, so it will receive resultant perks such as roadside dispatch, travel and emergency assistance services, Visa Signature Concierge, etc.

Review: US Bank Cash Plus card review

Best for EV charging, if you're willing to join PenFed credit union: PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card

You'll need to be a member of the PenFed (Pentagon Federal) Credit Union to qualify for the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card, but you don't need a military affiliation to join. All you'll need to do is open a savings account with a minimum of $5, and you can do this when you apply for the card.

Read more: Pentagon Federal Credit Union review: Easy to become a member, competitive rates on savings and certificates

The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card earns at the following rates:

• 5x points on gas purchases at the pump and at EV charging stations.
• 3x points on groceries
• 1 point per dollar on everything else with no caps

Using rewards can be a little complicated because the value of your points varies depending on what you redeem them for. Options include travel, gift cards, and merchandise, but there's no way to use points directly for cash back.

Review: PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa card review

Chase Sapphire cards may also earn bonus rewards

Historically, select EV charging stations have been coded as "travel" purchases on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. These cards do not officially list EV charging stations in their bonus categories, so your results may vary. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 3 points per dollar on general travel purchases, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 2 points per dollar. 

If you find an EV charging station that codes as travel, it can also be reimbursed by the Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 annual travel credit to offset up to $300 in charges annually. But again, if you're visiting a station you haven't proven yourself, you may find your purchase code as something other than travel — in which case you'll earn 1 point per dollar.

Bonus: Save between 10% and 18% at Tesla EV charging stations

If you're willing to incorporate the stock market into your rewards-earning plan, you can receive 10% or more back on Tesla EV charging.

M1 Owner's Rewards Card

The M1 Owner's Rewards Card, issued by M1 Finance, offers bonus cash back at select merchants if you are also an investor in the brand. If you invest in Tesla, you'll receive 10% cash back (including with its Supercharger stations). This card otherwise earns 1.5% back for purchases that land outside your investment brands.

This card comes with a $95 annual fee, though it's waived for those with an M1 Plus membership.

Save Wealth Premium Card

The Save Wealth Premium Card offers up to 18% back with Tesla (including Supercharger stations) — and you don't need to own Tesla stock to get the bonus.

The catch is that the rewards you earn are untraditional. When you spend on the card, Save will purchase stock on your behalf — enough to average an 18% return on your spending. You'll have to wait at least one year before you can request a cash-back deposit into your bank account.

Read our review of the Save Wealth Premium credit card to learn exactly how this card works.

Electric vehicle charging station credit cards frequently asked questions (FAQ)