EV Charging Cost Calculator United Kingdom

An electric car is usually cheaper to run per mile than a petrol or diesel one, but the saving varies a lot. What you pay depends on how far you drive, how efficient the car is and, above all, how much of your charging happens at home on a cheap tariff rather than on an expensive public rapid charger. This calculator combines those factors into an annual cost and a pence-per-mile figure for your situation.

How the calculation works

The calculator divides your annual mileage by your efficiency in miles per kilowatt-hour to get the kilowatt-hours you will use over the year. It splits that energy into the share you charge at home and the rest you charge in public, prices each at its own rate and adds them for your annual charging bill. Dividing the total by your mileage gives the cost per mile in pence, which you can compare directly with a petrol or diesel car.

Every figure is one you enter, so the result reflects your household rather than a national average. If your tariff changes or you fit a home charger and charge more at home, update the inputs.

Home charging versus public charging

The split between home and public charging has the most effect on cost. Home electricity, especially on an overnight EV tariff, is far cheaper per unit than public rapid charging, which has to pay for expensive hardware and grid connections. A driver who charges almost entirely at home and tops up in public on long trips has a low blended cost per mile. A driver without off-street parking who relies on public chargers can pay two or three times as much for the same miles.

Raising the home share from 60% to 90% can cut the annual bill noticeably without changing anything else. That is also why a home charger, where you can fit one, tends to pay for itself within a few years at a normal annual mileage.

What affects your efficiency

Miles per kWh varies more than many drivers expect. Cold weather reduces battery performance and needs cabin heating, so winter figures are lower than summer ones. Motorway speeds use more energy per mile than town driving, the opposite of a petrol car. Heavier cars, larger wheels, roof boxes and hard acceleration all lower the figure. Use a realistic year-round average rather than a best case.

A worked example

You drive 10,000 miles a year in a car averaging 3.5 miles per kWh, so you use about 2,857 kWh a year. Charging 80% at home at 28p per kWh, about 2,286 kWh, costs about £640. The other 20%, about 571 kWh, charged in public at 60p per kWh, adds about £343. The total is about £983 a year, or 9.83p a mile. More home charging lowers that figure; more public rapid charging raises it.

How to use the calculator

Enter your annual mileage, your car’s efficiency in miles per kWh and your home electricity price. That is enough for a driver who charges almost entirely at home. For a realistic mix, open the advanced options and set your home charging share and the price you usually pay at public chargers. The donut chart splits your annual cost into home and public portions.

Assumptions and limitations

This is a planning estimate, not a bill. It assumes steady prices through the year, though real tariffs and public charging rates change and vary by network and speed. It leaves out charging losses (energy lost as heat between the socket and the battery, which can add a few per cent), standing charges, subscription fees, the cost of installing a home charger and battery wear over time. For a precise figure, check your tariff and recent charging receipts; for comparing an EV with a petrol car or judging whether a home charger is worth it, the estimate is a sound starting point.

About This EV Charging Cost Calculator

Use this EV charging cost calculator to get an instant estimate based on the figures you enter. Adjust the inputs above to match your situation, or browse all our calculators to plan your next step.