The price of charging an electric car is determined by more than battery size. Charging losses, electricity tariffs, solar availability, driving distance and vehicle efficiency all affect the result. Use your own figures wherever possible.
Calculate your EV charging cost
Adjust the assumptions to match your vehicle, electricity plan and driving.
Estimates only. Retail tariffs, solar opportunity cost, charging losses, battery conditioning, vehicle efficiency and public-network fees vary. Confirm prices with your electricity retailer and charging provider.
How the calculation works
The calculator first estimates the energy added to the battery from the difference between the starting and target charge. It then allows for charging losses to estimate electricity drawn from the source.
Session cost = electricity drawn × applicable electricity price. Where solar contribution is entered, the calculator treats that share as having no direct retail electricity charge. This simplifies the result and does not include the value of forgone solar feed-in credits.
Information to collect before comparing costs
- Your vehicle’s usable battery capacity—not necessarily the advertised gross capacity.
- Your normal starting and target charge percentages.
- Your electricity usage rate, including any off-peak or EV tariff.
- Your vehicle’s real consumption in kWh per 100 kilometres.
- The proportion of charging that can genuinely be supplied by surplus solar.
- Public-network prices, subscriptions and session fees applicable to you.
Home charger speed does not directly determine energy cost
A faster home charger usually changes how quickly energy is delivered rather than how much energy the battery requires. However, equipment efficiency, time-of-use pricing and whether charging can be aligned with solar generation may change the effective cost.
Using the result to choose a charging arrangement
The annual estimate can help compare household tariffs and understand the potential value of scheduled charging. It is not an installation quote. A licensed electrician should assess switchboard capacity, cabling, earthing, parking location, load management and applicable Australian requirements before equipment is selected or installed.
Looking for public charging?
Use EV Navigator to discover public charging locations, then verify access, pricing and availability with the relevant charging operator.
Download EV NavigatorFrequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Australia?
Multiply the electricity drawn from the grid by your tariff. A 60 kWh battery charged from 20% to 80% adds 36 kWh to the battery, but the grid may supply about 40 kWh after charging losses. At 30 cents per kWh, that example costs about $12 before any solar contribution.
Why is grid energy higher than energy added to the battery?
Charging is not perfectly efficient. Energy is used by the charger, vehicle electronics, temperature management and electrical conversion. The calculator lets you adjust the assumed efficiency.
Does solar make EV charging free?
Solar may reduce the cash cost when surplus generation would otherwise receive a low feed-in tariff. It still has an opportunity cost, and the result depends on when the vehicle charges, system output and the electricity plan.
Is home charging always cheaper than public fast charging?
It is commonly cheaper, but not universally. Free destination charging, subscriptions, off-peak public prices, demand charges and household tariffs can change the comparison.