EV planning
EV Charging Cost Calculator
Estimate how much an EV charging session or a distance of driving may cost from battery-side energy use, charging losses and your own electricity price per kWh.
Calculate EV charging cost
How much does it cost to charge an EV?
Multiply the energy stored in the battery by the charging range, then divide by source-to-battery efficiency to estimate billed electricity. The calculator applies your electricity price to that source energy.
EV charging cost formula
For a session, battery energy added equals usable battery capacity multiplied by the target SOC minus the starting SOC. Source energy equals battery energy divided by source-to-battery efficiency, and cost equals source energy multiplied by price per kWh.
Battery-side driving consumption
Driving mode uses battery-side consumption such as kWh/100 km or kWh/100 mi. Charging losses are added separately through the source-to-battery efficiency assumption, so a consumption figure that already represents wall energy can be paired with 100% efficiency.
Home versus public electricity prices
Enter a simple price per kWh for home charging or basic public charging comparisons. Actual public charging bills may also include session fees, time charges, parking or idle fees and membership pricing; those are not modeled here.
Charging losses
The default 90% source-to-battery efficiency is a planning assumption, not a vehicle-specific charging-loss database or a charging curve. Replace it when better data is known.
EV charging cost examples
A 60 kWh usable battery charged from 20% to 80% stores 36 kWh. At 90% source-to-battery efficiency, the estimated billed energy is 40 kWh. At 0.20 per kWh, the estimated session cost is 8.00.
EV Charging Session & Cost per Mile Reference Matrix
Comparison of full recharge costs (10% to 100% SOC, 90% AC efficiency) across standard battery pack sizes and charging locations:
| EV Battery Pack Size | Off-Peak Home ($0.10/kWh) | US Avg Home ($0.16/kWh) | Commercial DC Fast ($0.45/kWh) | Driving Cost per Mile (3.5 mi/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kWh Pack (e.g. Leaf, Kona) | ~$5.00 | ~$8.00 | ~$22.50 | $0.029 – $0.046 / mi |
| 65 kWh Pack (e.g. Model 3 RWD, Bolt) | ~$6.50 | ~$10.40 | ~$29.25 | $0.029 – $0.046 / mi |
| 75 kWh Pack (e.g. Model Y, Ioniq 5) | ~$7.50 | ~$12.00 | ~$33.75 | $0.029 – $0.046 / mi |
| 100 kWh Pack (e.g. Rivian, F-150 Lightning) | ~$10.00 | ~$16.00 | ~$45.00 | $0.038 – $0.061 / mi |
EV Charging Cost & Driving Expense Formulas
Calculates the total monetary expense of an EV charging session by determining total wall-socket grid energy drawn, factoring in AC onboard charger conversion losses.
Session_Cost = [(Battery_kWh × (Target_SOC - Start_SOC)) / Efficiency] × Rate_Per_kWhVariable Definitions
Battery_kWhUsable Battery Pack Size(kWh)- Gross or usable energy capacity of the traction pack.
Target_SOC - Start_SOCCharge State Delta(fraction)- Target minus starting percentage of battery charge (e.g. 20% to 80% = 0.60).
EfficiencySource-to-Battery Efficiency(fraction)- AC-DC rectification and thermal cooling efficiency (typically 88%–92%).
Rate_Per_kWhElectricity Cost Rate(currency/kWh)- Home utility rate or public EVSE fee per kilowatt-hour.
Engineering Notes & Standards
- Driving cost per 100 miles = [(Consumption_kWh_100mi / Efficiency) × Rate_Per_kWh].
- Driving cost per mile = Driving cost per 100 miles ÷ 100.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does it cost to fully charge an EV at home?
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gasoline?
How much does it cost to charge an EV at a public DC fast charger?
Why is billed electricity higher than the energy added to the battery?
Related EV calculators
Use the EV Charging Time Calculator to estimate how long the same session may take. This calculator does not model vehicle catalogs, public charger fee systems or fuel costs.