EV Charging Cost CalculatorCost to Charge an Electric Car at Home or in Public
Charging cost = kWh added ÷ charging efficiency × electricity price.
Find out what a charge really costs — at home on Level 1 or Level 2, or on a public DC fast charger. Includes charging losses, cost per mile, yearly cost and a straight comparison with filling up a gas car.
Charging session
US average residential price is about 18¢/kWh in 2026 (EIA). Check your bill or charger app.
Usually 3–4.5 mi/kWh. 3.5 mi/kWh ≈ 29 kWh per 100 miles.
Adding 45.0 kWh (20% → 80%) on Level 2 at $0.18/kWh, with about 10% charging losses.
Cheaper than gas by 46%Cost per 100 miles
Cost at different electricity prices
| Electricity price | This charge | Per 100 miles | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.10/kWh | $5.00 | $3.17 | $381 |
| $0.14/kWh | $7.00 | $4.44 | $533 |
| $0.18/kWh | $9.00 | $5.71 | $686 |
| $0.25/kWh | $12.50 | $7.94 | $952 |
| $0.35/kWh | $17.50 | $11.11 | $1,333 |
| $0.48/kWh | $24.00 | $15.24 | $1,829 |
| $0.60/kWh | $30.00 | $19.05 | $2,286 |
How much does it cost to charge an electric car?
Charging cost = kWh added ÷ charging efficiency × electricity price. Adding 45 kWh (20% → 80% of a 75 kWh battery) at home on Level 2 draws about 50 kWh from the wall; at 18¢/kWh that’s $9.00. At 3.5 miles per kWh, home charging costs about 5.7¢ a mile — roughly half the fuel cost of a 30 MPG gas car at $3.20 a gallon.
This is the main calculator in our Electric Vehicle calculators. Go deeper with the EV Charging Time Calculator and the EV vs Gas Calculator.
How to calculate EV charging cost
Pick the charger
Level 1 (a standard outlet), Level 2 (240-volt home or workplace) or DC fast charging.
Enter battery and charge range
Use usable battery capacity and the percentage you start and stop at.
Add your electricity price
Find it on your utility bill or in the charging network’s app.
Add efficiency and mileage
Miles per kWh from your car’s trip screen, plus how far you drive in a year.
EV charging cost formula
kWh from the wall = kWh added ÷ charging efficiency
Charge cost = kWh from the wall × price per kWh
Cost per mile = price per kWh ÷ (miles per kWh × charging efficiency)
Break-even price vs gas = (gas price ÷ MPG) × miles per kWh × efficiency
To see how long the same session takes, use the EV Charging Time Calculator with the same battery size and charge range.
Example: 20% to 80% on a 75 kWh battery
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Energy added | 75 kWh × 60% | 45.0 kWh |
| From the wall (Level 2) | 45 ÷ 0.90 | 50.0 kWh |
| Cost at 18¢/kWh | 50 × $0.18 | $9.00 |
| Range added | 45 kWh × 3.5 mi/kWh | 158 miles |
| Cost per mile | $0.18 ÷ (3.5 × 0.90) | $0.057 |
| Yearly (12,000 mi) | 12,000 × $0.0571 | $686 |
| Gas car (30 MPG, $3.20) | 12,000 ÷ 30 × $3.20 | $1,280 |
These are the calculator’s default inputs. The 18¢/kWh default is close to the U.S. average residential price the EIA projects for 2026.
Home vs public charging cost
Home Level 1 and Level 2
The cheapest way to charge for most drivers, especially on an off-peak time-of-use plan. Level 1 uses a regular 120-volt outlet and adds only a few miles of range per hour; Level 2 adds roughly 20 to 30 miles per hour on a typical 7 kW charger.
Public DC fast charging
Much faster but usually several times the price per kWh, and some networks charge per minute or add session fees. It’s ideal on road trips; relying on it daily can erase much of an EV’s fuel saving.
Workplace and free charging
Free or employer-paid charging lowers your cost per mile to almost nothing. Enter $0 to see your yearly cost if you charge mostly for free.
Time-of-use plans
Many utilities offer cheaper overnight rates for EV owners. Scheduling charging for off-peak hours is one of the easiest ways to cut costs.
Deciding whether to buy an EV at all? The EV vs Gas Calculator turns this cost per mile into a yearly saving and a break-even year.
Cost to charge popular battery sizes (10% → 80%)
| Battery (usable) | 10% → 80% at 14¢ | 10% → 80% at 18¢ | 10% → 80% at 25¢ | Public DC at 48¢ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 kWh | $4.36 | $5.60 | $7.78 | $14.61 |
| 60 kWh | $6.53 | $8.40 | $11.67 | $21.91 |
| 75 kWh | $8.17 | $10.50 | $14.58 | $27.39 |
| 82 kWh | $8.93 | $11.48 | $15.94 | $29.95 |
| 100 kWh | $10.89 | $14.00 | $19.44 | $36.52 |
| 130 kWh | $14.16 | $18.20 | $25.28 | $47.48 |
Assumes 10% losses on Level 2 and 8% on DC fast charging.
Related calculators
EV Charging Cost Calculator FAQs
Multiply the kWh you add by your electricity price and divide by charging efficiency. Adding 45 kWh at 18¢/kWh with 10% losses costs about $9.00. A typical home charge costs a fraction of a tank of gas.
Divide your electricity price by miles per kWh and by charging efficiency. At 18¢/kWh and 3.5 mi/kWh with 10% losses, that’s about 5.7 cents a mile.
With home charging, almost always. A 30 MPG gas car at $3.20 a gallon costs about 10.7 cents a mile in fuel, roughly double the cost of home charging at average US rates.
Prices vary by network and region, often several times home electricity rates per kWh. Some networks charge per minute or add idle and session fees.
Battery size × electricity price ÷ efficiency. A 75 kWh battery charged from 0% to 100% at 18¢/kWh with 10% losses costs about $15.
Yes. Some energy is lost as heat in the charger and battery. Losses are typically higher on slow Level 1 charging than on Level 2.
Off-peak EV or time-of-use rates are often well below the average residential price. The calculator shows a break-even price below which charging beats gas.
Most EVs use roughly 25 to 40 kWh per 100 miles. At 3.5 miles per kWh, that’s about 29 kWh per 100 miles.
Costs vary with the charger, your electrical panel and the distance to your parking spot. A licensed electrician can quote the installation; check your utility for rebates on Level 2 chargers.
About the developer
Manzoor Ahmad
Web Designer & Calculator Developer · 13+ years of web development and SEO experienceI’m a professional pharmacist turned tech geek, and I designed and coded this EV charging cost calculator myself. The default electricity price follows the EIA’s 2026 residential outlook, and charging-loss assumptions are shown openly so you can change them to match your own car.
Found a number that looks wrong, or want a feature added? Tell me through my author page — corrections are fixed and re-dated.
Sources
- U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center — Charging electric vehicles at home
- U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center — Developing infrastructure to charge electric vehicles
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Short-Term Energy Outlook: electricity
- U.S. DOE & EPA — FuelEconomy.gov: electric vehicles
Disclaimer: Estimates depend on your inputs. Actual charging losses, battery capacity, weather, and network pricing vary. Check your utility bill and charging app for exact rates.
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