Does EV Charging Count as Gas for Credit Card Rewards?
This guide explains how EV charging codes and how to earn the most on it.
How EV charging codes
EV charging is newer than the gas category, so coding varies. Some issuers have updated their gas category to include EV charging, and a few offer a specific EV-charging bonus, so on those cards charging earns an elevated rate. Others still treat only traditional fuel as gas, and public charging networks do not all code the same way, which means the same charge can earn a bonus on one card and only the base rate on another. See cards for EV charging.
Why it is inconsistent
Part of the inconsistency is that charging happens in many settings, a dedicated station, a retailer’s lot, a hotel, at home, and the merchant code follows the operator, not the act of charging. Home charging simply shows up on your electric bill as a utility, which no card bonuses as gas. So where and how you charge affects whether it earns.
How to earn the most
Check whether your card explicitly includes EV charging in its gas or a dedicated category; if it does, use that card at public chargers. Where charging does not earn a bonus, a flat-rate card ensures a solid rate. For home charging, there is no gas bonus to capture, since it is billed as electricity. Coding will keep improving as EVs grow, so recheck your card’s terms over time.
- Some cards include EV charging in the gas category.
- A few cards have a dedicated EV-charging bonus.
- Other cards do not bonus EV charging at all.
- Public charging networks code inconsistently.
- Check your card, and use a flat-rate card otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
Related reading
