Charging cost

How much does one charging session cost?

Enter your battery size, current charge level, and your electricity price. The estimate accounts for charging losses so you see the real grid cost, not just the battery maths.

Enter your charging details.

Select a vehicle to prefill battery and efficiency, or enter values manually. All money fields use your own currency.

Session cost
$9.26
Charging 20% → 80% on a 82 kWh battery
Energy added to battery
49.2 kWh
60% of 82 kWh
Drawn from the meter
57.88 kWh
At 85% charging efficiency
Distance this session adds
~281 km
$0.033 per km

How this is calculated: The meter cost uses grid draw, not battery stored energy, because charging losses happen between the plug and the battery. The 85% efficiency factor accounts for AC/DC conversion and cable heat. Distance and cost-per-km figures are estimates — real range depends on speed, temperature, and terrain.

What this calculator does and does not model

What it models: The cost of a single AC charging session based on your battery size, charge window, local electricity price, and charging efficiency. The efficiency factor (default 85%) accounts for the energy lost as heat during AC/DC conversion in your onboard charger.

What it does not model: DC fast-charging cost, which uses a different pricing structure (per-minute or per-kWh at a premium rate). It also does not model battery degradation, temperature-based capacity loss, or charging speed taper at high state of charge.

Efficiency figures: When a vehicle is selected from the catalog, efficiency is derived from the manufacturer WLTP or EPA rated range adjusted by a 12% real-world factor. For India scooters, efficiency is inferred from the real-world range midpoint reported by the manufacturer. Both are estimates — your actual cost per km will vary.

FAQ

Common questions about charging costs

Why does the grid draw more than the battery stores?

Your onboard charger converts AC mains electricity to DC before it enters the battery. That conversion produces heat and loses around 10–15% of the energy. This is charging efficiency. At 85%, a 45 kWh top-up draws about 53 kWh from your meter — and that is what you are billed for.

Should I charge to 100% every time?

Most manufacturers recommend keeping daily charging between 20% and 80% to reduce long-term battery degradation. Reserve 100% charges for trips where you need maximum range.

Does this work for DC fast charging?

No. DC fast-charging networks typically charge per minute or per kWh at a premium rate, and the cost structure is different from home electricity pricing. This tool is built for AC home and destination charging only.

Why is cost per km only shown sometimes?

Cost per km requires knowing how efficiently the vehicle uses the energy in the battery. If you select a vehicle from the catalog, this is filled automatically. If you enter battery size manually without an efficiency value, cost per km is hidden because the estimate would be meaningless.