How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?

In the UK (May 2026) the average single-rate electricity tariff is ~28p/kWh. A 60 kWh battery charged 0–100% costs about £16.80, giving roughly 240 miles. That's ~7p/mile vs ~14p/mile for a petrol car at 40 mpg and £1.45/litre. EV-specific tariffs (Octopus Go, Intelligent Octopus) drop overnight rates to ~7p/kWh, cutting per-mile cost to ~2p.

How much does public rapid charging cost?

Public rapid (50 kW+) and ultra-rapid (150–350 kW) charging costs 65–89p/kWh in the UK as of 2026. A 60 kWh charge there costs £39–£53 — sometimes more expensive per mile than petrol. Most EV owners do 80–95% of their charging at home and only use rapids on long journeys.

What is kWh per 100 miles or per kWh?

This is EV efficiency. Modern EVs use 3.0–4.5 mi/kWh (city) and 2.5–3.5 mi/kWh (motorway). Tesla Model 3 LR ~4.0 mi/kWh, Kia EV6 ~3.5, Mercedes EQS 450+ ~3.4, F-150 Lightning ~2.0. Higher mi/kWh = cheaper per mile. Cold winter weather drops efficiency by 15–25%.

How does EV cost compare to petrol?

At UK averages (28p/kWh home electricity, £1.45/L petrol, 40 mpg, 4 mi/kWh): EV ~7p/mile, petrol ~16p/mile — EV wins by ~55%. With cheap overnight tariffs (7p/kWh) the gap widens to ~75%. With public rapid charging only (80p/kWh): EV ~20p/mile vs petrol 16p/mile — petrol wins. Charging mix matters more than the EV itself.

Should I install a home wallbox?

If you have off-street parking, yes — a 7 kW home charger costs £700–£1,000 installed (after the £350 EV chargepoint grant for flats/renters in England). It pays back in 12–24 months versus public rapids and unlocks cheap overnight EV tariffs. Renting? Tesla Destination chargers and supermarket free chargers can stretch costs further while you wait.

⚡ EV Charging Cost Calculator

Cost per charge, per mile and annual electric running cost. Mix home / public / rapid kWh rates and compare to petrol.

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Battery Size (kWh)

Efficiency (miles per kWh)

Annual Mileage

Distance, efficiency & petrol units follow your selection above.

⚡ Electricity Tariff Mix

Home rate (per kWh)

Public AC (per kWh)

Rapid DC (per kWh)

% Home charge

% Public AC

% Rapid DC

⛽ Petrol Comparison (optional)

Petrol price per gallon

Petrol car economy (mpg)

⚠️ Estimate only. Real-world EV efficiency drops 15–25% in cold weather, motorway driving and at high speeds. Public charging tariffs vary widely by network. Petrol mpg in real driving is typically 10–15% below WLTP figures. Not financial advice.

How EV Running Costs Stack Up

The headline cost-per-mile of an EV depends on three things: battery efficiency (miles per kWh), where you charge (home vs rapid), and what you pay per kWh. Get all three right and an EV costs ~25% of petrol per mile. Get them wrong (rapid-only on a heavy car) and EV running costs can match or exceed petrol.

Typical EV Efficiency (mi/kWh)

Most efficient: Tesla Model 3 LR (4.0–4.3), Hyundai Ioniq 6 (4.2), Mercedes EQS 450+ (3.4)
Mainstream: Kia EV6 (3.5), VW ID.3 (3.6), Tesla Model Y LR (3.7)
Larger / heavier: Audi e-tron (2.7), Ford Mustang Mach-E (3.0), Volvo EX90 (2.5)
Trucks / SUVs: Ford F-150 Lightning (2.0), Rivian R1T (2.2), Hummer EV (1.6)

Typical UK 2026 Electricity Rates

Standard variable tariff: ~28p/kWh
Octopus Intelligent / Go (overnight EV): ~7–9p/kWh off-peak
Public AC (7–22 kW): 45–65p/kWh
Public Rapid DC (50–150 kW): 65–79p/kWh
Ultra-Rapid DC (150 kW+): 75–89p/kWh
Tesla Supercharger (non-Tesla): 50–70p/kWh

Charging Mix Strategy

Home charging is the killer feature of EV ownership. Aim for 80–90% home, 10% rapid if you have a driveway. Even at 28p/kWh home rate, a typical EV costs ~7p/mile vs petrol's 16p — saving £900/year at 10,000 miles. Switch to a 7p/kWh overnight tariff and the saving exceeds £1,300/year.

When Rapid Charging Costs More Than Petrol

An EV doing 3 mi/kWh charged exclusively on 79p/kWh rapid chargers costs 26p/mile — meaningfully worse than 16p/mile petrol. If you have no home charging access, the EV financial case weakens. Tesla Supercharger access (~50p/kWh for Tesla owners) and supermarket free chargers (Lidl, Tesco) can partially offset this.

Cold Weather and Motorway Driving

Real-world EV efficiency drops 15–25% in winter (battery heating + cabin heating + lower air density at temperature). Motorway driving at 70 mph drops efficiency another 20–30% versus city driving. Plan range buffers accordingly.

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Important Note: This calculator does not include vehicle depreciation, insurance, road tax (VED becomes payable on EVs from April 2025), tyre wear (heavier than petrol), or charging losses (~10% of energy is lost between the meter and the battery). For a full ownership cost comparison, also model these. Pair with our Auto Loan Calculator to see total monthly cost.

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