How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Vehicle and How Far Can I Go?

On October 24, 2012 By admin
Tesla Model S

Previously we discussed the Three Things you Need to Know to Determine your Electric Vehicle Charging Time. This week we’ll use that information to determine the cost to fully charge your electric vehicle. Please refer to the example below and keep in mind that individual electrical rates will vary.

1. Find your most recent utility bill to obtain your cost per kWh. My residential PG&E rate in September of 2012 was $0.12845 per kWh which is the cost we use in this example.*

2. Find your electric vehicle battery capacity using the chart below or the vehicle manufacturers’ web site.

3. Multiply the electrical rate from #1 with your battery capacity from #2.  Viola!  This is the cost to fully charge your electric vehicle at your current electrical rate.

Just for kicks, we’ve also provided the EPA figures for miles you can expect from a fully charged battery.**  The “Compare Side-by-Side” feature at the DOE website is helpful, although you’ll have to toggle between Electric and Hybrid to really compare BEV’s (Battery Electric Vehicle, aka all electric) to PHEV’s (Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicles, which have both an electric and an internal combustion engine).  Which one is your favorite?

Vehicle Type Battery Size (kWh) Cost to charge at $0.12845 per kWh Expected Electrical Miles on a Charge per EPA
2011 BMW ActiveE BEV 32 $4.11 102
2012 Chevy Volt PHEV 16 $2.06 35
2013 Chevy Volt PHEV 16 $2.06 38
2012 Coda BEV 31 $3.98 88
2012 Fisker Karma PHEV 16 $2.06 33
2013 Ford Focus EV BEV 23 $2.95 76
2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV BEV 16 $2.06 62
2012 Nissan Leaf BEV 24 $3.08 73
2013 Nissan Leaf Upgrade BEV 30 $3.85 N/A: not yet released
2012 Tesla Model S BEV 40 $5.14 N/A: not yet released
BEV 60 $7.71 N/A: not yet released
BEV 85 $10.92 265
2010 Tesla Roadster (Model K) BEV 56 $7.19 245
2012 Toyota Prius EV PHEV 4.4 $0.57 11
2013 Toyota Rav4 EV BEV 41.8 $5.37 N/A: not yet released (expected 92-113 per Toyota)

*According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the National Average in 2011 for Residential electricity was 11.8¢ per kWh.  You will definitely want to check with your utility provider to obtain the best rates and times for charging your electric vehicle.  The reason is that some locations can be more than 55 cents per kWh if you charge during peak times and/or surpass demand thresholds!

**Keep in mind that you probably won’t require a full charge every day.  Much like a gasoline or diesel vehicle, the amount you need to charge on a typical day (as well as the actual mileage you achieve) will be dependent on variables such as the distance you drive, the terrain, speed, temperature, and individual driving habits.

***Battery Sizes were obtained using Wikipedia and/or manufacturer websites in October of 2012.  This chart does not take into account the usable battery % (this means it may not actually cost as much to charge your EV as shown in the chart above!  This is a good thing.  For example, the 2012 Nissan Leaf has an approximate 90% usable battery for charging purposes).

- Stacey Barhydt, 10/24/2012