EV Cost Per 100 Miles Calculator
Estimate your personal EV driving cost per 100 miles and compare it to gasoline. Defaults use EPA-rated efficiency and EIA state residential rate estimates — edit any field to match your actual utility bill or charging network.
Your inputs
Your results
Fill in your inputs and click Calculate to see your personalized estimate.
Estimate only. Based on EPA-rated efficiency, EIA state rate estimates, and a documented charging-loss assumption. Real-world costs vary with temperature, driving style, utility rates, and charging behavior. Does not include insurance, maintenance, or depreciation.
How this calculation works
The calculator uses this formula:
Cost per 100 miles = Efficiency (kWh/100 mi) × (1 + Loss%) × Rate ($/kWh)
Where:
- Efficiency — EPA-rated energy consumption for your vehicle, in kWh per 100 miles.
- Loss — Wall-to-battery charging loss percentage. Default is 10%. Published research reports a range of roughly 5–24% depending on charger, temperature, and battery state.
- Rate — Your electricity price in dollars per kWh. Defaults to an EIA state residential average estimate.
Annual EV cost = Cost per mile × Annual miles.
Annual gas cost = (Annual miles ÷ Gas MPG) × Gas price.
Annual savings = Annual gas cost − Annual EV cost.
Break-even gas price = Cost per mile × Gas MPG. This is the gasoline price at which EV and gas costs are equal. If your local gas price is higher, the EV saves money; if lower, the gas vehicle is cheaper to fuel.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my real cost different from this estimate?
EPA-rated efficiency is measured on a standardized test cycle. Real-world efficiency varies with temperature, speed, terrain, HVAC use, and driving style. Public charging rates also differ significantly from residential rates. For the most accurate estimate, enter your own electricity rate and adjust the charging-loss percentage.
Is EV charging cheaper than gasoline?
For most US drivers charging at home on residential rates, yes — often significantly. But this depends on your electricity rate, your vehicle's efficiency, and the price of gasoline. The break-even gas price output shows exactly where the two become equal for your inputs.
What is charging loss, and why does it matter?
Charging loss is the difference between the energy drawn from the wall and the energy stored in the battery. Some electricity is lost as heat during AC/DC conversion and battery management. A 10% loss means for every 10 kWh you pay for, roughly 9 kWh reach the battery. Ignoring this underestimates your true cost.
How do I find my actual electricity rate?
Check your utility bill — it lists your rate in cents per kWh. If you're on a time-of-use plan, use the rate that applies to when you usually charge. Public charging networks publish their per-kWh or per-minute rates in their apps.
Why does the state dropdown only give me a rough rate?
Electricity rates vary by utility, not just by state. The state average is a starting point based on published EIA residential averages. Always edit the rate field to match your actual utility bill for the most accurate result.
Does this calculator include insurance, maintenance, or depreciation?
No. This calculator focuses only on fuel (energy) cost per 100 miles and annual energy savings versus gasoline. Insurance, maintenance, tires, registration, and depreciation are not included. Total cost of ownership is a larger calculation that requires additional inputs.
What if my EV costs more to charge than gas?
If the annual savings result is negative, your EV energy cost exceeds the gas comparison for your inputs. This can happen with very high electricity rates, low gas prices, or an inefficient EV compared against a very efficient gas car. The break-even gas price shows the price at which they'd equalize.
EV Cost Per 100 Miles: How to Calculate Your Real Number
Your EV cost per 100 miles comes down to two numbers: how much electricity your vehicle uses per 100 miles, and what you pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Multiply them together, add a small allowance for charging losses, and you have your answer.
At the U.S. average residential rate of roughly 18.34¢ per kWh (EIA, June 2026), a typical electric sedan that uses 25 kWh per 100 miles costs about $4.60 per 100 miles to charge at home before charging losses. Add a typical 10% charging loss and the number rises to roughly $5.05 per 100 miles. A full-size electric truck that uses 45 kWh per 100 miles costs about $8.25–$9.10 per 100 miles under the same assumptions.
Want your exact number? Use the EV Cost Per 100 Miles Calculator above to enter your state, vehicle, and electricity rate.
What Is Your EV Cost Per 100 Miles?
Cost per 100 miles is the amount you pay in electricity to drive 100 miles. It is the EV equivalent of "how much does a tank of gas cost per 100 miles," and it lets you compare your EV directly against a gasoline car on a level playing field.
For most U.S. drivers charging at home, the range is roughly:
- Efficient sedan or hatchback: about $3.90–$5.10 per 100 miles at the U.S. average residential rate
- Mid-size SUV or crossover: about $5.10–$6.60 per 100 miles
- Full-size truck or large SUV: about $8.20–$10.30 per 100 miles
- Public DC fast charging: typically 2–4× higher than home charging, depending on the network and region
These ranges use the U.S. average residential rate and a 10% charging loss assumption. Your actual cost depends on your state's electricity price, your specific utility rate, your vehicle's efficiency, and where you charge.
How to Calculate Your Cost Per 100 Miles
The formula
Cost per 100 miles = Efficiency (kWh/100 mi) × (1 + Charging Loss %) × Electricity Rate ($/kWh)
Where:
- Efficiency is your vehicle's energy consumption per 100 miles, published by the EPA in kWh/100 mi.
- Charging loss is the percentage of electricity lost between the wall and the battery. A 10% loss means you pay for 10% more electricity than your battery actually stores.
- Electricity rate is the price you pay per kWh. On a residential plan, this is on your utility bill. On a public charger, it is the network's published rate.
Once you have the cost per 100 miles, you can derive two more useful numbers:
- Cost per mile = Cost per 100 miles ÷ 100
- Annual EV cost = Cost per mile × your annual miles
Where to find your electricity rate
Your residential rate is on your monthly utility bill, listed in cents per kWh. If you are on a time-of-use (TOU) plan, you will see separate rates for peak and off-peak hours — use the rate that applies to when you usually charge.
If you do not have your bill handy, the U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes average residential rates by state. These are averages, not your exact utility rate, so treat them as a starting point and replace them with your real number when possible.
For public charging, each network publishes its own pricing, usually inside its mobile app. Rates vary widely by network, region, and charger speed.
Where to find your vehicle's efficiency
The EPA publishes efficiency ratings for every EV sold in the U.S. at fueleconomy.gov. Search your make, model, and trim year. The number you want is listed as kWh/100 mi (sometimes shown as "combined" efficiency).
If your vehicle lists efficiency as mi/kWh instead, convert it using:
kWh/100 mi = 100 ÷ (mi/kWh)
For example, 4.0 mi/kWh equals 25 kWh/100 mi.
A worked example
Suppose you drive a mid-size electric crossover with an EPA rating of 30 kWh/100 mi. Your utility charges 16¢ per kWh. You assume a 10% charging loss.
- Effective energy use = 30 × 1.10 = 33 kWh per 100 miles
- Cost per 100 miles = 33 × $0.16 = $5.28
- Cost per mile = $5.28 ÷ 100 = $0.0528
- At 12,000 miles per year, annual EV cost = $634
That same driver in a 30 MPG gas car paying $3.50 per gallon would spend about $1,400 per year on fuel — roughly $766 more than the EV in this scenario.
What Affects Your Cost Per 100 Miles
Electricity rate
This is the single biggest variable. Residential rates in the U.S. vary substantially by state — from roughly 12¢ per kWh in some states to well above 40¢ per kWh in Hawaii. Your specific utility rate matters more than the state average, since rates also vary within states and by rate plan.
Vehicle efficiency
Efficiency is the second major variable. A highly efficient EV at 24 kWh/100 mi uses nearly half the electricity of a large electric truck at 45–50 kWh/100 mi. That difference directly doubles or halves your cost per 100 miles at the same electricity rate.
Charging losses
Charging is not perfectly efficient. Some electricity is lost as heat during AC-to-DC conversion and battery management. Published testing has found losses ranging from about 5% to 24%, depending on charger type, temperature, and battery state of charge. Most real-world home charging sits near 10%, which is why 10% is a common default. Ignoring charging losses underestimates your true cost by roughly 10%.
Home, public, and DC fast charging
Where you charge changes the rate you pay:
- Home Level 1 or Level 2: billed at your residential rate. This is almost always the cheapest option.
- Public Level 2: often priced per hour or per kWh by the property owner. Sometimes free; sometimes comparable to home rates.
- DC fast charging: priced per kWh or per minute by the network. Typically the most expensive way to charge, often several times the residential rate.
Time-of-use rates
Many utilities offer TOU plans that charge less during off-peak hours (often late night and early morning) and more during peak hours. Because EVs are usually charged overnight, TOU plans can meaningfully reduce the effective cost per 100 miles — but only if you actually shift your charging to the off-peak window. Check your utility's published TOU schedule for exact hours and rates.
Home vs Public Charging: Cost Comparison
The table below illustrates how the same vehicle compares across charging scenarios. The numbers are illustrative and use the U.S. average residential rate; actual public charging prices vary by network and region.
| Charging type | Typical price basis | Relative cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Level 1 | Residential $/kWh | Lowest | Overnight charging, low daily mileage |
| Home Level 2 | Residential $/kWh | Lowest (fastest home option) | Daily driving, full overnight recharge |
| Public Level 2 | Per hour or per kWh | Low to moderate | Workplace, retail, destination charging |
| DC fast charging | Per kWh or per minute | Highest | Road trips, urgent top-ups |
If you charge mostly at home, your cost per 100 miles will almost always be lower than if you rely on public fast charging. A driver who uses DC fast charging for most of their miles can see their effective cost per mile rise to levels comparable with — or higher than — a fuel-efficient gas car.
EV vs Gas: Cost Per 100 Miles
Comparing an EV to a gas car is a two-step process:
- Calculate the EV's cost per 100 miles using the formula above.
- Calculate the gas car's cost per 100 miles: (100 ÷ MPG) × Gas Price.
For example, a 30 MPG gas car at $3.50 per gallon costs $11.67 per 100 miles. The mid-size EV from the earlier example costs $5.28 per 100 miles. The EV saves $6.39 per 100 miles in this scenario.
Break-even gas price
The break-even gas price is the price per gallon at which the EV and the gas car cost the same per mile. Below that price, the gas car is cheaper to fuel; above it, the EV is cheaper.
Break-even gas price = EV cost per mile × Gas car MPG
Using the example above: $0.0528 × 30 = $1.58 per gallon. At any real-world U.S. gas price, the EV wins in this scenario. If your electricity rate were much higher — or your gas car much more efficient — the break-even price would rise, and the comparison could flip.
This is why the break-even gas price is a useful reality check: it tells you how much room you have before the economics change.
How to Lower Your Cost Per 100 Miles
Enroll in a time-of-use rate
If your utility offers a TOU plan with a substantial off-peak discount, and you can schedule charging overnight, this is often the single most effective way to reduce cost per mile. Confirm your utility's specific off-peak hours and rates before enrolling.
Install a Level 2 home charger
A Level 2 (240V) home charger lets you fully recharge overnight and keeps almost all your miles on the cheapest rate — your residential rate. If you currently rely on public fast charging for regular miles, home charging can pay back the installation cost over time. Installation cost varies by home electrical setup and local labor rates.
Drive more efficiently
Efficiency drops with high speed, aggressive acceleration, heavy HVAC use, and cold temperatures. Smooth acceleration, moderate highway speeds, and cabin preconditioning while still plugged in all reduce your cost per mile. These effects are real but modest compared to changing your charging source.
Consider solar
If you have rooftop solar and charge during daylight hours, your marginal electricity cost can drop close to zero. This is a larger investment with its own payback calculation, but for high-mileage drivers it can meaningfully change the cost-per-100-miles math.
Limitations of This Calculation
This method produces a good estimate, but a few caveats matter:
- EPA vs. real-world efficiency. EPA ratings come from a standardized test cycle. Real-world efficiency is often 5–15% higher (worse), depending on climate, terrain, and driving style.
- State averages vs. your utility. State-level electricity averages are useful defaults, but utilities within a state can charge very different rates. Your bill is the authoritative source.
- Charging loss variability. The 10% default is a reasonable planning figure, but actual losses can range from roughly 5% to 24% depending on charger, temperature, and battery state.
- Excluded costs. This calculation covers electricity only. It does not include insurance, maintenance, tires, registration, or depreciation — all of which matter for total cost of ownership.
- Mixed charging behavior. If you charge partly at home and partly in public, your effective cost per 100 miles is a blended number. The calculator above lets you run each scenario separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to drive an electric car 100 miles?
At the U.S. average residential rate of about 18.34¢ per kWh (EIA, June 2026), most EVs cost roughly $4 to $10 per 100 miles to charge at home, depending on efficiency. A highly efficient sedan sits near the low end; a full-size electric truck sits near the high end. Public fast charging typically costs more.
Is it cheaper to drive an EV than a gas car?
For most U.S. drivers charging at home, yes — often substantially. But it depends on your electricity rate, your vehicle's efficiency, and the local gas price. The break-even gas price calculation tells you exactly where the two become equal.
Why is my calculated cost different from my electric bill?
Several reasons. Your bill includes fixed charges, taxes, and possibly tiered or time-of-use rates, none of which appear in a simple per-kWh estimate. Your real-world efficiency may also differ from the EPA rating. For the closest match, use your bill's effective $/kWh rate rather than the headline rate.
Does charging loss affect my cost?
Yes. Charging loss is the gap between the electricity you pay for and the electricity stored in your battery. A 10% loss means you pay for roughly 10% more electricity than your battery uses. It is a small but real addition to your cost per 100 miles, and it is why the default in most EV cost estimates is around 10%.
How do I calculate cost per 100 miles from mi/kWh?
First convert to kWh/100 mi: divide 100 by your mi/kWh figure. For example, 4.0 mi/kWh equals 25 kWh/100 mi. Then multiply by your electricity rate and by (1 + charging loss). That gives you cost per 100 miles.
Is public charging ever cheaper than home?
Occasionally. Some workplaces, retail locations, and municipal chargers offer free or very low-cost Level 2 charging. But DC fast charging is almost always more expensive than home charging. As a general rule, home charging at your residential rate is the cheapest option available to most drivers.
Does off-peak charging really save money?
On a time-of-use plan, yes — often 30–60% off the peak rate. But the savings only materialize if you actually shift charging to the off-peak window. If you charge whenever you plug in without scheduling, a TOU plan can cost you more than a flat rate.
How much does it cost to charge a Tesla per 100 miles?
Tesla's EPA-rated efficiency varies by model and trim. A Model 3 or Model Y typically sits around 25–28 kWh per 100 miles, which at the U.S. average residential rate works out to roughly $4.60–$5.65 per 100 miles before charging losses. Supercharging costs more per kWh than home charging.
Should I include charging losses in my estimate?
Yes, if you want an accurate number. Ignoring them understates your cost by roughly the loss percentage. A 10% default is a reasonable planning figure for home Level 2 charging; DC fast charging and cold-weather charging can have higher losses.
Does this calculator include insurance, maintenance, or depreciation?
No. This page and the calculator above focus specifically on electricity cost per 100 miles and annual energy savings versus gasoline. Total cost of ownership includes insurance, maintenance, tires, registration, and depreciation — all of which require separate inputs.
Methodology and Sources
Formula used on this page and in the calculator:
Cost per 100 miles = Efficiency (kWh/100 mi) × (1 + Charging Loss %) × Electricity Rate ($/kWh)
Default assumptions:
- Charging loss default: 10% (adjustable)
- Annual miles default: 12,000 (adjustable)
- Gas comparison default: 30 MPG (adjustable)
Primary data sources:
- Electricity rates: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electric Power Monthly. The U.S. average residential rate used in this article reflects EIA's June 2026 published figure (approximately 18.34¢ per kWh). State averages are also published by EIA.
- Vehicle efficiency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), fueleconomy.gov. EPA-rated efficiency is expressed in kWh per 100 miles and varies by model year and trim.
- Annual miles: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), average annual miles per vehicle.
- Charging loss range (5–24%): Published charging-efficiency testing, including the ADAC charging efficiency study.
Update policy: Electricity rates are the most volatile input. This page is reviewed when EIA publishes updated figures. Vehicle efficiency defaults are reviewed annually when new model-year EPA data is released. If you find an outdated figure, the calculator above always allows manual override.
Limitations: This page provides an estimate, not a prediction of your exact electricity bill. Real-world results vary with your utility rate plan, charging behavior, climate, and driving style.
Related Tools
- EV Cost Per 100 Miles Calculator — calculate your personalized number
- EV Battery Aging Calculator — estimate battery health, degradation, and remaining lifespan
- EV Ownership Cost Calculator — total cost to own including financing, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation
- EV Charger Panel Upgrade Calculator — check if your electrical panel can handle a Level 2 charger
- 30C Tax Credit Calculator — estimate your federal EV charger credit
- EV Loan Calculator — estimate your monthly payment and total interest
Last updated: October 2026 · Electricity data: EIA June 2026 · Vehicle data: EPA 2026 · Methodology v1.0
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) — Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A — Average price of electricity to ultimate customers by end-use sector, by state. The authoritative source for residential electricity rates used in this article.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — Fuel Economy Guide — Official EPA ratings for all EVs sold in the U.S., including efficiency in kWh per 100 miles. The primary source for vehicle efficiency defaults.
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) — Alternative Fuels Data Center: Average Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled — Annual vehicle miles traveled by major vehicle category in the United States. Source for the 12,000-mile annual default.
- ADAC (Germany's largest automobile club) — Charging Loss Study — Tests of five EVs measuring wall-to-battery charging losses across different charging power levels. Source for the 5–24% charging loss range.
- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) — Highway Statistics, Table VM-1 — Annual vehicle distance traveled in miles and related data by highway category and vehicle type. Source for the national average annual miles per vehicle.