EV Charging Cost Calculator

Estimate your daily and monthly charging costs. Compare home vs. public charging rates.

Last Updated: January 2026

Inputs

Currency

Daily Driving Distance

Days Driven per Month

Vehicle Efficiency

Home Electricity Rate

$ /kWh

Charging Loss % (Heat/Efficiency)

Public Charging Markup % Approx markup over home rate

Results

Cost per mi -

Cost per 100 mi -

Monthly Cost (Home) -

Monthly Cost (Public) -

Potential Monthly Savings -

How it Works

This calculator determines the cost of driving your EV based on efficiency and electricity rates.

The Formula

Cost = (Distance / Efficiency) × (1 + Loss%) × Rate

We first normalize your vehicle's efficiency to kWh per unit distance. Then we add charging losses (typically 10% for Level 2 AC charging) to find the total grid energy pulled. Finally, we multiply by your electricity rate.

Example

If you drive 30 miles (48 km) per day, and your car gets 3.5 mi/kWh:

Energy needed = 30 / 3.5 = 8.57 kWh
Grid energy (with 10% loss) = 8.57 / 0.90 = 9.52 kWh
At $0.15/kWh, daily cost = 9.52 × $0.15 = $1.43

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a typical charging loss?

Level 2 home charging typically has 5% to 15% energy loss due to heat and AC/DC conversion in the vehicle's onboard charger. We default to 10% as a safe estimate.

How do I find my EV's efficiency?

Check your car's dashboard trip meter. It usually displays mi/kWh, Wh/mi, or kWh/100km. If you don't know, 3.5 mi/kWh is a good average for a sedan, and 2.5 mi/kWh for a truck.

Does this include battery degradation?

No, this calculator strictly looks at energy cost. It does not factor in vehicle depreciation or battery health.