The default charging session costs $8.10 at home or $18.00 at the public rate. Estimate the cost to charge a Tesla or another EV from your starting battery percentage to your target. Compare editable home and public rates for the same session, then review annual home charging costs against a gasoline vehicle.
Key Model Assumptions & Benchmark Data
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) & U.S. EIA (EIA Weekly Gasoline Update, 2026-10-19 (retrieved 2026-10-20)):U.S. regular retail gasoline price: $4.284/gallon (week of 2026-10-19, modeled at $4.28/gallon default); 3.5 miles/kWh EV efficiency and 28 MPG ICE comparison baseline.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (EIA EPM Table 5.3, Jan–Jul 2026 (retrieved 2026-10-20)):U.S. residential average retail electricity price: 18.19¢/kWh (Jan–Jul 2026 YTD; 17.30¢/kWh 2025 annual), modeled at a $0.18/kWh calculator default.
Interactive Model & Inputs
Adjust variables below to instantly compute real-time projections and amortization.
Current battery percentage.
Choose at least the starting percentage. Follow your vehicle’s recommended limit.
Illustrative $0.40 rate. Enter the price shown for your charging location and time.
Calculation Results & Payback Projections
Battery energy × price per kWh. Excludes charging losses, parking, idle fees and any tax not included in your rate. Annual figures assume home charging for all miles.
How Tesla & Electric Vehicle Charging Costs Are Calculated
Calculating the cost to operate a Tesla or electric vehicle depends on four variables: annual mileage, vehicle energy efficiency (measured in miles per kWh), your local electricity tariff ($/kWh), and the retail gasoline price ($/gallon) used for comparison.
A Tesla Model 3 or Model Y achieves roughly 3.5 to 4.1 miles per kWh (about 24 to 29 kWh per 100 miles). At the EIA Jan–Jul 2026 U.S. residential benchmark of $0.18/kWh (18.19¢/kWh), driving 1,000 miles at 3.5 miles/kWh costs approximately $51 in home electricity—compared to $153 in gasoline for a 28 MPG vehicle at $4.28/gallon.
Public charging prices vary by location, time and membership. Enter the rate displayed in the Tesla app or by your charging operator. The $0.40/kWh public-rate default is an illustrative comparison, not a live network price. Home charging is not always cheaper than gasoline; compare your actual rates.
EV Annual Energy Consumption & Fuel Cost Equation
Annual EV Cost = (Annual Miles / Efficiency mi/kWh) × Electricity Rate ($/kWh); Annual Gas Cost = (Annual Miles / 28 MPG) × Gasoline Price ($/gal)Annual mileage divided by vehicle efficiency (miles/kWh) gives annual kilowatt-hours, multiplied by your electricity rate. Annual gasoline comparison divides annual miles by 28 MPG and multiplies by the entered gasoline price.
Worked example: understand your inputs
The selected charging interval adds 45 kWh to the battery. That costs $8.10 at the home rate or $18.00 at the public rate. A full 0–100% charge at home is $13.50. Annual home electricity is $617, versus $1,834 for the comparison car.
| Input | Example value | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Size | 75 | Usable battery capacity in kWh; check the vehicle version rather than assuming all Model 3 or Model Y batteries match. |
| Kwh Rate | 0.18 | Home electricity price in dollars per kWh for the hours you charge. |
| Annual Miles | 12000 | Miles driven in one year; used only for annual comparisons. |
| Efficiency | 3.5 | Miles driven per kWh. Use your observed consumption for your weather, speed and driving pattern. |
| Gasoline Price | 4.28 | Dollars per gallon for the comparison vehicle, which is modeled at 28 MPG. |
| Start Charge Pct | 20 | Battery percentage before charging. |
| Target Charge Pct | 80 | Battery percentage after charging, at least the starting value. |
| Public Rate | 0.40 | Dollars per kWh at a public charger. The default is illustrative, not a live Supercharger quote. |
How to interpret the result
Session energy equals usable capacity × (target percentage − starting percentage) ÷ 100. Multiply it by each rate to compare the same charge. Annual fuel savings are signed: a negative value means electricity costs more than the gasoline comparison in that scenario.
What this estimate leaves out
The model prices energy stored in the battery. Electricity drawn from the charger is higher because of charging losses and battery conditioning. Parking, idle or congestion fees and taxes not in the entered rate are excluded. Annual results assume home charging for all miles; they do not use a home/public blend.
EV Fuel Savings & Charging Best Practices
Lower Per-Mile Energy Cost
Driving on $0.18/kWh home electricity at 3.5 miles/kWh costs $0.051 per mile compared to $0.153 per mile for a 28 MPG vehicle at $4.28/gallon.
Time-of-Use Off-Peak Charging
Charge overnight between midnight and 6:00 AM on dedicated EV tariffs to access lower off-peak utility rates where offered.
Battery Longevity (The 80% Rule)
Keep daily charge limits set to 80% for nickel-based lithium-ion packs, reserving 100% charges for long road trips.
Substantial Carbon Reduction
Eliminate direct tailpipe emissions and reduce lifecycle transportation greenhouse gas emissions across regional power grids.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fully charge a Tesla at home?
Charging a 75 kWh Tesla battery from 0% to 100% at the $0.18/kWh EIA U.S. residential benchmark costs $13.50 (or $10.80 for a 60 kWh pack), providing roughly 262 miles of range at 3.5 miles/kWh.
How much does a Tesla Supercharger cost compared to home charging?
For a 75 kWh battery charged from 20% to 80%, 45 kWh is added. At an illustrative $0.40/kWh public rate that costs $18, versus $8.10 at $0.18/kWh at home, before losses and extra fees. Check the current site price in the Tesla app.
How much money do you save driving an EV compared to a gas car annually?
At the calculator defaults (12,000 miles/year, 3.5 miles/kWh, $0.18/kWh electricity, and $4.28/gallon gasoline across a 28 MPG baseline), annual EV home electricity costs $617 versus $1,834 for gasoline, saving $1,217 per year on fuel.
Does fast charging degrade electric vehicle battery life?
Frequent DC fast charging can slightly accelerate battery degradation due to thermal stress. However, modern EVs with active liquid thermal management retain strong battery capacity over high mileage.
Authoritative Benchmark Sources & Active Incentives
EPA Fuel Economy Guide & EIA Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) & U.S. EIA)
U.S. regular retail gasoline price: $4.284/gallon (week of 2026-10-19, modeled at $4.28/gallon default); 3.5 miles/kWh EV efficiency and 28 MPG ICE comparison baseline.
EIA Electric Power Monthly: Table 5.3 Residential Retail Rates (U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA))
U.S. residential average retail electricity price: 18.19¢/kWh (Jan–Jul 2026 YTD; 17.30¢/kWh 2025 annual), modeled at a $0.18/kWh calculator default.
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