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EV Charging Cost & Road Trip Calculator

Estimate your cost per charge and per mile, then compare a road trip’s energy cost against an equivalent gas vehicle. Accounts for charging losses from AC-DC conversion and battery heat.

When to use this

Use this before buying or leasing an EV, or before a long road trip, to see your real cost per mile at home charging rates and to compare a specific trip’s energy cost against a gas alternative.

How it compares

Unlike a simple cost-per-mile estimate, this calculator separately accounts for charging losses and lets you directly compare a specific trip against a chosen gas vehicle’s mpg and local gas price, rather than relying on a generic EV-vs-gas rule of thumb.

Enter your values below. Calculations run locally as you type.

How it works

Usable range per charge is your battery’s capacity in kWh multiplied by your vehicle’s efficiency in miles per kWh.

Cost per charge adds charging losses on top of the electricity used, since some energy is lost converting AC power to DC and conditioning the battery, then multiplies by your electricity rate.

For a road trip, the calculator compares the electricity cost of covering the distance against the cost of the same distance in a comparison gas vehicle at your chosen mpg and gas price.

FAQs

Why do charging losses matter so much?

Charging losses (typically 10–15%) come from converting AC power from the wall to DC for the battery, plus energy spent conditioning the battery to a safe temperature. That lost energy still shows up on your electricity bill even though it never reaches the wheels.

How much more expensive is public DC fast charging than home charging?

DC fast charging is usually 2–3× the cost per kWh of home charging, since networks price in demand charges, real estate, and equipment costs. Charging at home overnight on a residential rate is almost always cheaper per mile.

Why does my efficiency (mi/kWh) change so much?

Efficiency drops at highway speeds due to aerodynamic drag, and drops further in cold weather because of cabin heating and battery conditioning. Mild city driving in warm weather gives the best mi/kWh; a winter highway road trip gives the worst.

Does this calculator include the price of the vehicle itself?

No — it only compares the marginal cost of energy (electricity vs. gasoline) for the miles driven. It does not account for differences in purchase price, maintenance, or incentives.

Worked example

Input

Battery 75 kWh, efficiency 3.5 mi/kWh, home rate $0.16/kWh, 12% charging losses, 300-mile trip vs. a 30-mpg gas car at $3.50/gal.

Output

Cost per full charge: $13.44 ($0.051/mile). Trip energy cost: $15.36 vs. $35.00 in gas — a savings of $19.64.

The 75 kWh battery provides 262.5 miles of usable range per charge. Charging losses add 12% on top of the raw energy pulled, so a full charge costs $13.44 at $0.16/kWh. Over the 300-mile trip, electricity costs $15.36 versus $35.00 for the equivalent gas vehicle.

Common pitfalls

  • Ignoring charging losses understates your real cost — the battery pack itself never receives 100% of the energy pulled from the wall.
  • Using a public DC fast-charging rate instead of your home rate will make road-trip costs look artificially low if you actually charge mostly at home.
  • Efficiency (mi/kWh) is not constant — highway speed, cold weather, and cargo/passenger load can all reduce it well below the EPA-rated figure, understating real trip cost.

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