Loan EV Charging Cost Estimator
The EV question is arithmetic, not ideology: your miles, your car's consumption, your electric rate, and the charging losses nobody mentions — against a gas car at your mpg and your pump price. Enter yours and see the two fuel bills side by side.
Consumption: most EVs use 25–35 kWh per 100 miles (30 kWh/100mi ≈ 3.33 mi/kWh). Charging losses are real — the wall delivers more than the battery keeps; 10–15% is the honest band for Level 2.
How it works
Energy at the wheels: miles × kWh-per-100-mi ÷ 100. Energy at the wall — the stuff you pay for — is that × (1 + losses): 1,000 miles at 30 kWh/100mi is 300 kWh at the wheels but 336 kWh on the meter. Cost is wall kWh × your rate. Gas for the same miles: miles ÷ mpg × pump price. Cost per mile is the honest comparison line: the defaults land at 5.4¢ electric vs 11.5¢ gas.
Formula & worked example
Formula: kWh at the wall = miles × kWh-per-100-miles ÷ 100 × (1 + charging losses %). Cost = wall kWh × rate. Gas comparison = miles ÷ mpg × gas price. Defaults carry 12% losses — the meter sees more than the battery keeps.
Worked example: 1,000 miles/mo at 30 kWh/100mi and $0.16/kWh: 336 kWh at the wall, $53.76/mo against $115.00 of 30-mpg gas at $3.45 — $734.88 saved per year.
When to use this
- You are EV-shopping and want the fuel bill before the car.
- Your first electric bill after buying an EV needs explaining.
- You are comparing your real rate and mileage against the gas car it replaced.
How to use it, step by step
- Enter your true monthly miles.
- Enter the car's consumption (window sticker kWh/100mi).
- Enter your home electric rate from a bill.
- Read the wall cost (losses in) against the gas comparison.
What the inputs mean
| Input | What it is | Typical values |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly miles | Your actual driving | 800–1,500 mi typical |
| Consumption | kWh per 100 miles | 25 efficient; 30 typical; 35–40 trucks/winter |
| Electric rate | Your $ per kWh, all-in | $0.11–$0.35 by state |
| Charging losses | Wall-to-battery waste | 10–15% Level 2 planning band |
Another worked example
A heavier driver: 1,500 mi/mo in a car using 28 kWh/100mi, on a $0.20/kWh rate. Wheels need 420 kWh; the wall delivers 470.4; cost $94.08/mo. The 35-mpg gas car at $3.60 burns $154.29/mo — the EV saves $722.47 a year even at the higher rate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV for 1,000 miles a month?
At 30 kWh/100mi, $0.16/kWh and 12% charging losses: $53.76 a month — $645.12 a year. The same 1,000 miles at 30 mpg and $3.45 gas cost $115.00 a month, so the default saving is $734.88 a year.
What is the cost per mile of an EV vs gas?
Defaults here: 5.4¢ per mile electric (at the wall, losses in) against 11.5¢ gas. A more efficient driver (1,500 mi/mo at 28 kWh/100mi, $0.20/kWh) pays $94.08 against $154.29 in a 35-mpg car at $3.60 — the ratio survives most rate combinations.
Why count charging losses?
Because the meter does. Chargers, cabling and battery chemistry waste 10–15% as heat; tools that skip losses understate your bill by exactly that much. Twelve percent is the planning figure used here — change it if your charger reports its own.
What does a full charge cost?
Battery size × (1 + losses) × rate: a 60-kWh pack from empty at $0.16 costs about $10.75 at the wall. You rarely arrive at zero — the monthly view in this estimator is the budget-honest way to look at it.
Is public charging still cheaper than gas?
Usually, but not always: at 2.5× a $0.16 home rate the electric mile is about 13¢ — slightly worse than 30-mpg gas at $3.45. Home charging is where the EV economy lives; road-trip fast charging is a convenience purchase.
☀️ Charging from your own roof?
Once the car drinks electricity, the Solar Cost Estimator sizes a system that covers the house AND the car — usage-offset math included.
What does Level 1 vs Level 2 change in cost?
Almost nothing per kWh — the rate is the rate. Level 2 (240V) is slightly more efficient (lower losses) and much faster; Level 1 adds convenience limits, not meaningful cost differences.
How much does an EV add to a home's electric bill in winter?
Cold-soaked batteries and cabin heat raise consumption 15–30%. Re-run this estimator at 35–40 kWh/100mi for your winter months to budget the seasonal bump honestly.