EV Charging Cost Calculator
Estimate how much it costs to charge your electric vehicle based on battery size, current charge level, electricity rate, and charger efficiency.
Total usable battery capacity of your EV (e.g. Tesla Model 3 Long Range ≈ 75 kWh)
How charged is your battery right now?
What charge level do you want to reach? (80% recommended for daily use)
Check your utility bill. U.S. average is ~16¢/kWh (2024)
Level 1/2 home chargers: ~85–92%. DC fast chargers: ~88–95%
Level 1 ≈ 1.4 kW | Level 2 ≈ 7.2–19.2 kW | DC Fast ≈ 50–350 kW
Formulas Used
Energy to battery (kWh):
Ebattery = Battery Capacity × (Target% − Current%) ÷ 100
Energy drawn from grid (kWh):
Egrid = Ebattery ÷ Charger Efficiency
Total charging cost ($):
Cost = Egrid × Electricity Rate ($/kWh)
Charging time (hours):
Time = Egrid ÷ Charger Power (kW)
Cost per mile ($):
Cost/mile = Total Cost ÷ (Ebattery × Vehicle Efficiency [mi/kWh])
Assumptions & References
- U.S. average residential electricity rate: ~16 ¢/kWh (U.S. EIA, 2024).
- Default vehicle efficiency: 3.5 miles/kWh — EPA average for EVs sold in the U.S. (fueleconomy.gov).
- Level 1 charger (120V/12A): ~1.4 kW output, ~85–88% efficiency.
- Level 2 charger (240V): 3.3–19.2 kW output, ~88–92% efficiency.
- DC Fast Charger (DCFC): 50–350 kW output, ~88–95% efficiency.
- Charger efficiency losses include AC→DC conversion heat, onboard charger losses, and cable resistance.
- Battery capacity refers to usable capacity (manufacturers typically reserve 5–10% as buffer).
- Charging to 80% daily is recommended by most EV manufacturers to preserve long-term battery health.
- Monthly estimate assumes one full 20%→80% charge cycle per day for 30 days.
- Public charging rates vary widely: Level 2 public ~$0.20–0.35/kWh; DCFC ~$0.30–0.60/kWh (ChargePoint, EVgo, 2024).