EV Charging Cost Calculator

Estimate exactly what it costs to charge your electric car at home or in public, see the cost per 100 miles, and compare it against running a petrol car. Adjust the inputs below for your own EV and tariff.

This charge (20% → 80%)

£2.80

40.0 kWh added at 7.0p/kWh

Full 0–100% charge

£4.67

66.7 kWh

Cost per 100 miles

£2.16

at 3.6 mi/kWh

vs petrol (45 mpg @ £1.42/L)

Petrol per 100 mi: £14.35

You save £12.18 per 100 miles vs petrol

Estimates only. Assumes ~10% AC charging losses (efficiency factor 0.9). Real costs vary by tariff, battery temperature, charging curve and driving conditions.

How EV charging costs are calculated

Charging cost comes down to three numbers: how much energy you add (kWh), your rate (p/kWh), and charging losses. Energy added is your battery capacity multiplied by the percentage gained, divided by roughly 0.9 to allow for AC charging losses. Multiply that by your rate to get the cost.

For a fair comparison with petrol, this calculator converts everything to cost per 100 miles using your car's efficiency in miles per kWh. The petrol baseline assumes a 45 mpg car at £1.42 per litre. For a full network price breakdown, see our EV charging costs guide, and check our free EV charging guide for ways to charge for nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in the UK?
Charging a 60kWh EV from 20% to 80% at home on an off-peak tariff (~7p/kWh) costs around £2.80. A full 0–100% charge costs roughly £4.70. On a standard tariff (~28p/kWh) the same full charge costs about £18.70.
How much does it cost to rapid charge an EV in public?
Public rapid charging in the UK typically costs 60–79p/kWh. A 20–80% top-up on a 60kWh battery costs around £27–£32, giving roughly 150–180 miles of range. Use the calculator above to estimate the exact cost for your car and network.
Is charging an EV cheaper than running a petrol car?
Yes in almost all cases. Home charging costs around 2–3p per mile versus 14–16p per mile for a 45 mpg petrol car at £1.42/L. Even public rapid charging is usually comparable to petrol, while home charging saves over £1,000 a year for an average driver.
What affects the cost of charging an electric car?
The main factors are your electricity or charging tariff (p/kWh), how much energy you add, your car efficiency (mi/kWh), and charging losses of roughly 10% on AC. Battery temperature, charging curve, and whether you charge at home or at public rapid chargers all change the final cost.
What is the cheapest way to charge an electric car?
The cheapest way is charging at home overnight on an EV-specific off-peak tariff such as Octopus Intelligent Go at 7–12p/kWh. Free supermarket chargers at Tesco and Lidl are even cheaper. Avoid relying on public ultra-rapid chargers, which are the most expensive at up to 79p/kWh.

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