EV charging cost calculator
From the EPA label.
Use the price from your bill if you know it.
Zero if you charge only at home.
An example. Check your charging app.
An example. Use your local price.
Electric car running cost
Efficiency is wall-to-wheel, so charging losses are already in the kWh figure. The public price and the gas price are examples. Replace them with the prices where you charge and fill up.
How the calculation works
- Energy per month equals kWh per 100 miles, divided by 100, times miles.
- Home cost equals the home share of that energy times your price per kWh.
- Public cost equals the public share of the energy times the public price per kWh.
- Cost per mile equals the monthly total divided by the miles.
The EPA efficiency figure is measured at the wall, so it already includes the energy lost in charging. You do not add a separate loss.
A worked example
Take 26.1 kWh per 100 miles, 1,000 miles a month and the US average home price. All charging at home costs $45 a month, or 4.5 cents per mile. If 30 percent of the miles come from public fast chargers priced at 45 cents per kWh, an example price, the month costs $67 and a mile costs 6.7 cents.
A gas car at 30 mpg and $3.50 a gallon, both example numbers, costs $117 for the same 1,000 miles, or 11.7 cents per mile. The break-even gas price for the all-home case is $1.35 per gallon at 30 mpg.
Where to find your car’s efficiency
Every new car has an EPA fuel economy label. The efficiency is listed in kWh per 100 miles. You can also look up any model year at fueleconomy.gov. The list in the calculator holds the headline trim of each model on our EV charging cost pages.
Real efficiency changes with speed, temperature, tires and what you carry, so treat the label as a standard test, not a promise.
Home versus public charging
Most home charging runs at the same price per kWh as the rest of your electricity. Public chargers set their own prices, and networks price by the kWh, by the minute or by membership. The calculator asks for a price per kWh, so convert a per-minute price if you need to.
Check the price before you plug in
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the cost to charge an electric car?
Multiply the car’s kWh per 100 miles by the miles you drive, divide by 100, and multiply by your price per kWh. A 28 kWh per 100 mile car driving 1,000 miles uses 280 kWh.
Is it cheaper to charge at home or at a public station?
Usually at home, because most households pay a lower price per kWh than public fast chargers charge. Your own rate plan and the public price in your area decide it, so enter both in the calculator.
Does the calculator include the cost of a home charger?
No. It covers electricity only. Home charger equipment and installation are separate costs, and our Level 2 charging page shows how they compare.
What is the break-even gas price?
It is the price per gallon at which a gas car costs the same per mile as your electric car. If gas costs more than that where you live, the electric car is cheaper per mile.