EV Charging Cost Calculator

Every charging cost estimate reduces to the same formula: kWh × $/kWh. The kWh you need is set by your vehicle's efficiency (miles per kWh), and the $/kWh is set by the network or your utility rate. The calculator above combines both: it takes your selected EV's battery capacity, divides it by EPA range to get kWh per mile, multiplies by the miles you need, then multiplies by the rate for your chosen network or home state.

EV efficiency varies more than most buyers realize. A Tesla Model 3 runs around 4.2 mi/kWh (EPA); a Model Y is closer to 3.8 mi/kWh; a Ford F-150 Lightning is roughly 2.0 mi/kWh; a Lucid Air Pure hits 5.0 mi/kWh. For the same 200-mile drive, the F-150 Lightning needs 2.5× more kWh than the Lucid Air — and therefore costs 2.5× more to charge regardless of which network you use. Efficiency matters more than network choice for most drivers.

Home charging is almost always cheapest because residential electricity is a regulated commodity priced around 11–32¢/kWh across the US. Public DC fast chargers price for convenience: 36–48¢/kWh is typical, with premium sites and congested corridors hitting 50¢+. The exception is low-cost networks like IONNA (~32¢/kWh) and Francis Energy (~28¢/kWh) which target regional gaps. If your utility offers a time-of-use or EV rate plan, you can often cut home charging costs by 30–40% by charging overnight. Check your utility's EV program page.

Charge time is simpler: kWh needed divided by charger power (kW), adjusted for taper at high state-of-charge. Most EVs hit their peak DC-fast speed between 10% and 40% state of charge, then taper steadily. Plan road-trip stops for 10%→80% rather than 0%→100%; the last 20% typically takes as long as the first 60%. For home Level 2, charging time is simply battery kWh ÷ onboard charger kW — usually 6–10 hours overnight.

For context on how state electricity rates vary, see our home vs public analysis, or pick a network from the full network comparison to see rate cards, coverage, and membership math.