How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

With EV sales in Australia rapidly growing you will want to know how much it will cost before you choose to make the switch to electric.

We get down to the real numbers to find out just how much it costs to charge an electric vehicle. It is important to remember, the battery size and charging rate of all models of electric cars is different therefore will vary in charging time and energy consumed. Prices will also vary as energy rates change – just like petrol from a service station.

The Cost of charging an electric car is found by multiplying the size of the battery by the applicable electricity rate (e.g. 60kWh x 0.45 per kWh = $27).

Calculations are based on average usable battery capacity of 65kWh.

Level 2 chargers (Home Charging stations):

For level 2 charging stations, the average charging costs are

*average usage rates of flagship market from five leading electricity retailers as of October 2022

With petrol pricing spiking the average national price of petrol sitting at $1.71 per litre. Using 11L/100km, petrol will cost $18.81 per 100km, at least 3x the price of electric charging.

Level 3 Public Charging Station (DC Fast Charging):

Rapid fast chargers use DC power to charge your car battery quicker, this increase in speed also increases price.

DC Rapid Chargers allow for an extremely fast charge rate, with their power capacities ranging from 40 kW all the way up to 350kW. A full charge can hence take between 10 minutes to 1 hour to complete. Charging at a DC station can cost you between 40 to 60 cents per kWh.

According to Transport for NSW, EVs are significantly cheaper to run in terms of fuel and maintenance. Overall, for the everyday driving needs of the average Australian home charging should be sufficient and the most economical method for charging your electric car.