HOME AND PUBLIC CHARGING
EV Charging Cost Calculator
Compare the cost of the same electric car charge at home and at a public station. Enter your battery size, charge levels and prices per kWh.
One charging session.
Two prices compared.
THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED
How the charging estimate works
Battery energy added equals usable battery capacity × (target charge − starting charge) ÷ 100. A 75 kWh battery charged from 20% to 80% gains 45 kWh.
Home cost uses wall energy. At 90% efficiency, adding 45 kWh takes 50 kWh from the wall. At 0.15 per kWh the charge costs 7.50 in the selected currency.
Public cost uses the billed kWh you enter or an estimate based on battery energy. Multiply by the public rate and add the session fee. The example uses 45 kWh at 0.50 per kWh for 22.50 before any extra fees.
Check the station’s pricing before charging. For per-minute rates, multiply your expected billed minutes by the minute rate and add fees separately. Read the home charging cost guide or review our methodology.
Estimate the cost of your next EV charge
Enter your usable battery capacity, starting and target charge percentages, and both electricity rates. The calculator compares the cost of adding the same amount of battery energy at home and at a public charger. Add your monthly driving distance for a budget estimate.
- Battery capacity. Use usable capacity for your model and battery version if the manufacturer lists it. Gross capacity can include energy the vehicle does not let you use.
- Home electricity rate. Enter what an extra kWh will cost you during your charging hours, including any charges that apply per kWh. Leave out fixed charges you pay whether you charge or not. If your bill uses time-of-use rates, see our guide to EV charging cost at home.
- Public charging rate. Use the station’s price per kWh and enter a fixed session fee if it applies. If you have the billed kWh from a comparable session, enter it under Actual public billed energy. Otherwise, the calculator uses the added battery energy as an estimate.
How the charging cost is calculated
- Battery energy added (kWh) = usable capacity × (target charge % − starting charge %) ÷ 100.
- Home cost = battery energy added ÷ home charging efficiency as a decimal × home rate. At 90% efficiency, adding 36 kWh to the battery draws 40 kWh from the wall.
- Public cost = billed kWh × public rate + fixed session fee.
For driving estimates, enter energy use from the battery, such as the consumption shown by your car for a typical drive. FuelEconomy.gov explains that U.S. EV label consumption is measured at the charge source and already includes charging losses. Using that figure as battery energy use and applying a loss again can overstate your cost.
A 25% to 75% charge on a 72 kWh EV
The battery gains 36 kWh. Assume home charging is 90% efficient at CA$0.15/kWh. At a public station, assume a comparable session bills 37.5 kWh at CA$0.48/kWh plus a CA$1.50 session fee. At a battery consumption rate of 18 kWh/100 km, the charge adds an estimated 200 km of driving.
| Estimate | Home | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Energy billed | 40 kWh | 37.5 kWh |
| Cost of this charge | CA$6.00 | CA$19.50 |
| Cost per 100 km | CA$3.00 | CA$9.75 |
| Cost at 1,200 km/month | CA$36.00 | CA$117.00 |
In this example, the public session costs CA$13.50 more. The per-distance and monthly public estimates spread the fixed fee across the driving distance added in a session like this one. Smaller top-ups can raise the cost per kilometre if you pay the same fee each time.
What your actual charging bill can include
This calculator estimates energy charges and one fixed public session fee. It does not calculate time-based charging, parking, idle fees, subscriptions or home charger installation. U.S. Department of Energy’s EV consumer guide describes the different billing methods public networks use. Compare the station’s posted terms or your receipt when the price is based on time.
See our home vs public EV charging costs guide for worked examples of per-minute billing, parking and the public rate that would match your home cost.
Use the same currency for both rates and any fee. Switching CAD and USD changes the display currency without converting prices. For more on electricity rates and charging at different times, see the U.S. Department of Energy’s home charging guidance. To compare EV charging with gasoline costs and other vehicle expenses, use the EV vs Gas vs Hybrid Cost Calculator.