EV Charging Cost CalculatorCost per charge, per mile and per month, compared with gas

Enter your battery size, how much you charge and what you pay for electricity. You get the cost of each charge, your cost per mile, a monthly charging budget and the savings against a similar gas car.

Free, no sign-upHome & public chargingGas car comparisonBy ReviewsWhiz Editorial Team

Your EV and charging

kWh
%
%
$/kWh
US home average is about $0.17. Public fast chargers often charge $0.40 to $0.60.
mi/kWh
Most EVs get 3 to 4 mi/kWh. Check your trip screen.
Monthly comparison
mi
MPG
$/gal

How to use the EV Charging Cost Calculator

  1. Enter your usable battery size in kWh. It is listed in your owner’s manual or on the manufacturer’s spec sheet.
  2. Pick how you charge. Level 1 and Level 2 are home or workplace charging. DC fast chargers are the high-power units along highways.
  3. Set your start and target charge. Many owners charge from about 20% to 80% day to day.
  4. Enter your electricity price from your utility bill, or the per-kWh price shown on the public charger.
  5. Add your monthly miles and a comparable gas car’s MPG to see the monthly savings.
Quick answer: charging a 75 kWh battery from 20% to 80% at home adds about 45 kWh, which costs roughly $8.50 at the US average of about 17 cents per kWh and gives around 160 miles of range. The same charge at a DC fast charger costs about $23.

What decides the cost of charging an EV

The cost of a charge comes down to three numbers: how much energy you add, what you pay per kWh, and how much energy is lost on the way into the battery.

The energy you add depends on your battery size and how far you charge it. Adding 60% to a 75 kWh pack puts 45 kWh into the battery. But the charger has to pull a little more than that from the grid, because some energy turns into heat in the charger, cables and battery. That is why the calculator shows two figures: energy into the battery and energy from the grid.

  • Level 1 (120V): the slowest and least efficient, with roughly 15% lost.
  • Level 2 (240V): the most common home setup, with about 10% lost.
  • DC fast charging: the most efficient at the car’s end, but the most expensive per kWh.

Cold weather adds more losses, because the car may use energy to warm the battery before and during charging.

Home vs public charging prices

Where you charge makes the biggest difference to what you pay. Home charging is almost always the cheapest option, and many utilities offer special EV or time-of-use rates that cut the price further overnight.

Charging optionTypical priceCost per 100 miles*
Home, off-peak EV rate$0.08 to $0.12 per kWhabout $2.50 to $3.80
Home, standard rate$0.14 to $0.20 per kWhabout $4.40 to $6.30
Home, high-cost states$0.28 to $0.40 per kWhabout $8.90 to $12.70
Public Level 2$0.20 to $0.40 per kWh, or per hourabout $6.30 to $12.70
DC fast charging$0.40 to $0.60 per kWhabout $12.30 to $18.40

*Based on 3.5 miles per kWh and typical charging losses. Prices vary by state, network and time of day.

Some public chargers bill per minute instead of per kWh. In that case, the real cost depends on how fast your car charges. A car that charges slowly pays more for the same energy, so check how your car’s charging speed matches the station.

EV vs gas: how the running costs compare

To compare an EV with a gas car fairly, look at cost per mile. A gas car that gets 28 MPG with gas at $3.25 a gallon costs about 11.6 cents a mile in fuel. An EV that gets 3.5 miles per kWh, charged at home at 17 cents, costs about 5.4 cents a mile. Over 12,000 miles a year, that is a difference of roughly $740.

The gap narrows if you rely on DC fast charging, which can cost as much per mile as a fuel-efficient gas car. It widens if you have cheap overnight rates or solar panels at home. Most EV owners do 80% or more of their charging at home, which is why the home price matters most.

How to lower your charging costs

  • Charge at home whenever you can. It is usually two to four times cheaper than fast charging.
  • Ask your utility about EV or time-of-use rates. Scheduling charging for overnight hours can cut your cost per kWh by a third or more.
  • Use your car’s charging schedule so it starts in the cheap window automatically.
  • Precondition while plugged in. Warming or cooling the cabin from the grid saves battery energy on the road.
  • Keep fast charging for road trips. And stop at around 80%, since charging slows down sharply above that.
  • Check workplace and free charging at stores, hotels and offices.

The formula behind it

Energy added = Battery kWh × (Target % − Start %) ÷ 100
Energy from grid = Energy added ÷ Charging efficiency
Cost of charge = Energy from grid × Price per kWh
Cost per mile = Price per kWh ÷ Efficiency ÷ Miles per kWh

Charging efficiency is taken as 85% for Level 1, 90% for Level 2 and 93% for DC fast charging. These are typical figures; real losses vary with temperature, charger and car.

EV charging facts

About 17¢
The approximate US average residential electricity price per kWh.
3 to 4 mi/kWh
The efficiency most electric cars achieve in mixed driving.
10 to 15%
Energy typically lost between the wall and the battery when charging at home.
80%+
Share of charging most EV owners do at home.
2 to 4×
How much more DC fast charging usually costs per kWh than home charging.
20 to 80%
The charge window many owners use day to day, and the fastest part of a DC session.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?
For most US drivers, a full charge at home costs about $10 to $20, depending on battery size and electricity price. Day to day, most people add 20% to 60% at a time, so a typical session costs a few dollars.
Is it cheaper to charge an EV than to buy gas?
Usually yes, especially when charging at home. At average prices, an EV costs about 4 to 6 cents per mile to charge at home, compared with 10 to 15 cents per mile in fuel for a typical gas car.
Why does DC fast charging cost so much more?
Fast chargers are expensive to build and run, and operators pay demand charges for drawing high power. That cost is passed on in a higher price per kWh or per minute.
How do I find my electricity price per kWh?
Divide the total on your electric bill (including delivery charges) by the kWh you used that month. That gives your true all-in price, which is often higher than the supply rate alone.
Does charging in cold weather cost more?
Yes. In cold weather the car may use energy to warm the battery, and both charging and driving efficiency drop. Winter costs per mile can be 15% to 30% higher.
Should I charge to 100% every time?
Most manufacturers recommend charging to about 80% to 90% for daily use and saving 100% for long trips. Check your manual, since some battery types are fine to charge fully.

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Results are estimates for general information only. Always confirm with your owner’s manual, your lender or a qualified technician before acting on them.