What does it cost to charge an ev?

On average, it costs approximately $4 to drive 100 km with an EV while the same distance would cost $14 with an ICE vehicle. 

In this article, we will discuss the cost of charging an electric car in Australia, including how to calculate home EV charging costs and the average cost of public electric car charging.

Home EV Charging Costs

To calculate the cost of charging an EV at home, you need to consider three factors: 

1. Electricity rates in your location
2. Battery size of your EV
3. The equation

1. Electricity Rates

The first factor to consider is the electricity tariffs in your state. The average electricity rates in different states in Australia can be found in Table 1.

Table 1: Average Electricity Flat Rate (by State)

2. Battery Size

The second factor is the battery size of your EV, as it determines the amount of power your vehicle will need from the grid. For example, the average EV battery size worldwide is 40 kWh, but we will also calculate the cost of charging a Tesla Model 3, which is the most sold EV in Australia and has a battery capacity of 57.5 kWh.

3. Equation

The cost of charging an EV at home can be calculated using Equation 1:

EV charging cost = Electricity cost c/kWh * Battery size kWh (1)

Using this equation, we can calculate the charging cost for a Tesla Model 3 with a battery capacity of 57.5 kWh and electricity costs in Victoria as follows:

EV charging cost = 21.14 c/kWh * 57.5 kWh = $12.16

Figure 1: Tesla Model 3 - Source: SCREEN POST, Pexels 

Public EV Charging Costs

It is also important to understand the cost of charging an EV at a public charging station as you may not always be able to charge at home. The cost of public EV charging varies depending on the charging level and charging network.

1. Free Charging Stations: Some public charging stations, such as Tesla Destination chargers, are free to use. Other options include Jolt public charging stations, which offer the first 7 kWh free of charge, and the NRMA fast charging network, which is also free. Some charging networks, like ChargeFox, offer free charging for a certain period for specific EV models.
2. Level 2 Charging Stations: Public Level 2 charging stations usually have a charging rate of 22 kW and typically cost between 0 to 30 c/kWh. Chargefox is currently the only provider of Level 2 AC EV charging and the cost can be found in the Chargefox app.
3. Level 3 Charging Stations: Level 3 charging stations, also known as DC Fast Charging (DCFC) stations, have the fastest charging rates for EVs, with a charging rate of up to 50 kW. These stations also have the highest charging rates as they can charge an EV battery within an hour. The cost of charging at a DC fast charging station varies from 40 c/kWh to 60 c/kWh, depending on the charging network.
4. Idle fees: EV drivers are charged a small fee for leaving their fully charged vehicle parked at a public charging station, known as an idle fee. This fee incentivises drivers to either move their vehicle or vacate the station, creating space for other EVs to charge. The amount of idle fees can differ based on the charging station's owner and location.

Figure 2: Public Tesla Charging Station - Source: Chad Russell, Pexels

Understanding the cost of charging an EV in Australia is important in determining your driving expenses. The cost of charging an EV at home depends on electricity rates and battery size, while the cost of public charging depends on the charging level and charging network.

Revcharge

revcharge is an end-to-end EV charging service provider. 

We take the stress and guesswork out of not only finding an EV charger that meets your needs, but that too of organising a trained technician to install and activate your system. 

For more information, visit revcharge.com.au 

Further Reading

• 3 Ways to Charge Your EV
• How Long Does an EV Battery Last?