UK EV tools
EV charging cost, time & range
Plan a charge session: how many kWh you’ll add, what it costs at home vs public rates, how long it takes on your charger, and a realistic range from battery size and mi/kWh — including a winter penalty.
Your EV
Energy to add: 38.4 kWh
Charging cost (home vs public)
Home session
£10.75
£0.080/mile
Public session
£27.65
£0.206/mile
This session is about £16.90 more on public rates than at home.
Charging time
Estimated time
5h 46m
Assumes steady AC power with ~10% losses. Shared household supply may be slower.
Range estimate
Indicative range (mild)
about 202 miles
Uses ~90% of pack as usable. Brochure WLTP is usually higher than day-to-day UK driving.
How these EV calculators work
Charge energy is simply pack size × (end % − start %). A 64 kWh battery from 20% to 80% needs about 38.4 kWh at the battery — AC charging draws a bit more from the wall because of losses.
Cost is energy × your £/kWh. Overnight home rates (often ~20–30p) usually beat public rapid (often 50–80p+). Always check your tariff and the charger’s displayed price.
Time is energy ÷ (charger kW × efficiency). We use ~90% for AC and a mild taper factor for DC sessions that finish above 80% SOC, because real rapid curves slow down near full.
Range uses ~90% usable pack × mi/kWh. Winter motorway driving often lands 25–35% below mild-weather mixed figures — toggle winter for a harsher planning number.
Typical UK planning figures
7.4 kW home wallbox
Common single-phase home charger. A 20→80% charge on a ~60 kWh car is often 5–7 hours depending on losses and exact pack size.
50–150 kW public rapid
Great for trips; expensive per mile vs home. Many drivers stop near 80% because the last 20% is slower and rarely worth the wait.
3.0–4.0 mi/kWh
A realistic band for many family EVs in mixed UK use. Heavy motorway + cold weather can dip under 3 mi/kWh.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home UK?
- Multiply kWh added by your unit rate. Example: 40 kWh × £0.28 = about £11.20. Economy/overnight tariffs can cut that sharply; peak-rate home charging is less attractive.
- How long does it take to charge an EV from 20% to 80%?
- On a 7.4 kW AC wallbox, often several hours. On a 100 kW rapid, often 20–40 minutes for many cars — then tapering slows the last stretch. Use the time calculator with your pack and charger kW.
- Is public charging more expensive than home?
- Usually yes, sometimes 2–3× per kWh. If you cannot charge at home, run the public rate in the EV vs petrol tool as well — the “EV is always cheaper” claim depends on where you plug in.
- What is a good mi/kWh?
- Brochure figures are optimistic. Many UK drivers see roughly 3–4 mi/kWh mixed; winter motorways are tougher. Efficiency matters as much as battery size for real range.
- Does this use live Zapmap / charger prices?
- No. Enter the £/kWh from your tariff or the charger screen. Live networks need commercial APIs and change constantly.
Related tools and guides
Planning estimates only. Real charge curves, usable capacity, preconditioning and tariffs vary by car and network. Confirm prices on the charger and range with your trip computer.