Is it cheaper to charge an EV at home or at a public charger?

Home charging is usually much cheaper, because home power costs less per kWh than most public fast chargers. Public charging is convenient for trips but can cost two to three times as much per unit, which adds up over a year.

How do I work out my EV charging cost?

Multiply how much energy your car uses per 100km by your power price per kWh to get the cost per 100km, then scale to your yearly distance. This calculator compares home and public prices side by side.

How much can home charging save?

For a typical driver, charging at home rather than relying on public fast chargers can save hundreds of dollars a year. Charging overnight on an off-peak plan can save even more.

EV Charging Cost Calculator

This calculator works out what it actually costs to charge an electric vehicle in New Zealand, and shows how much cheaper charging at home usually is than relying on public fast chargers. You enter your car's energy use in kWh per 100km, how far you drive in a typical year, and the power price per kWh at home and at public chargers. From these figures it works out your total energy use for the year, then applies both prices to show the yearly cost of charging entirely at home, the yearly cost of charging entirely in public, the cost per 100km at home, and the amount you save each year by charging at home instead. Because home electricity is usually far cheaper per unit than public fast charging, the gap between the two yearly totals can be significant. Use it to see the real value of a home charger or an off-peak power plan, to budget running costs before buying an EV, or to check whether public charging is costing you more than expected. Most drivers use a mix of both, so your actual bill will sit somewhere between the two figures shown. Energy use varies with the vehicle, driving style and weather, so check your own car's real-world figure rather than the manufacturer's claim. This is an indicative estimate only, based on the prices and distance you enter.

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Energy use (kWh per 100km)

Distance per year (km)

Home power price (per kWh)

Public charger price (per kWh)

saved a year by charging at home instead of public

Home, per year$0

Public, per year$0

Home cost per 100km$0

Energy use varies with the car, driving and weather; check your vehicle's figure. Most drivers do a mix of home and public charging, so your real saving sits between these. Estimate only.

How it works

The calculator multiplies your car's energy use per 100km by the power price to get the cost per 100km, at both home and public prices, then scales each to your yearly distance. The difference between the two yearly totals is what charging at home saves over relying on public fast chargers. Since most people charge mostly at home and occasionally in public, your real cost usually sits closer to the home figure.

Worked example

A car using 17 kWh per 100km over 12,000km a year uses about 2,040 kWh. At 28 cents at home that is about $571 a year; at 80 cents on public chargers it is about $1,632. Charging at home saves roughly $1,060 a year, and costs about $4.76 per 100km.

Related calculators

EV vs Petrol Calculator: EV versus petrol.
Fuel Cost Calculator: petrol running cost.
Electricity Cost Calculator: power costs.

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