Work out the real per-mile energy cost of an electric vehicle

Why EV Per-Mile Cost Usually Beats Petrol

A typical EV covers 3-4 miles per kWh. At 15 cents per kWh — a common residential rate — that works out to 4-5 cents per mile. A comparable 28-MPG petrol car at 3.50 per gallon costs 12.5 cents per mile. The EV advantage is often 2-3x on per-mile energy cost, which compounds meaningfully over tens of thousands of miles.

When Public Fast-Charging Changes the Math

Home charging dominates EV economics because home rates are typically the cheapest energy available. Public fast-charging runs 30-60 cents per kWh, which can triple the effective per-mile cost during road trips or for drivers without home charging access. An honest EV cost comparison weights home versus public charging by the realistic mix.

Common Things People Overlook

Three factors shift real EV cost. First, cold weather — lithium batteries lose 20-30 percent of range below freezing, raising effective cost per mile. Second, battery degradation — EV batteries typically lose 1-2 percent of capacity per year, reducing miles per kWh over time. Third, time-of-use pricing — residential rates can vary 2-4x between peak and off-peak hours, so charging overnight instead of evening can cut energy costs significantly.

A worked example

Try the defaults: electricity rate per kwh of 0.15, vehicle efficiency of 3.5, typical daily miles of 30. The tool returns 0.04. You can adjust any input and the result updates as you type — no submit button, no reload. That's the real power here: seeing how sensitive the output is to one or two assumptions.

What moves the number most

The result responds to Electricity Rate Per kWh, Vehicle Efficiency, and Typical Daily Miles. Frequency and unit price pull the total in different directions. The biggest surprise for most people is how small recurring amounts compound into large annual figures — that's where this calculation earns its keep.

The formula behind this

This calculator divides electricity rate by miles per kWh to return cost per mile. Daily and annual figures scale by typical daily miles and 365 days. Cost per 10,000 miles is the per-mile cost multiplied by 10,000. Results are estimates for illustration purposes only and assume home charging rates; public fast-charging typically costs 2-4x residential rates. Everything the calculator does is shown in the formula box below, so you can check the math against your own spreadsheet if you want.

Why see the number at all

Small recurring spending is invisible by design — every individual transaction is forgettable. Compounded over years, the total often surprises. Seeing the figure doesn't mean you typically need to cut the spending; it just makes the trade-off conscious.

What this doesn't capture

The tool prices the money; it can't weigh the enjoyment. A coffee habit, gym membership, or streaming bundle might cost what the math says but deliver value that's harder to quantify. Use the number to make the trade-off visible — the decision is yours.