EV Charging Cost Calculator (Tennessee Electricity Rates)

Estimate how much it costs to charge your electric vehicle at home using Tennessee's average residential electricity rates.

Battery Capacity (kWh) Total usable battery capacity of your EV (e.g., Tesla Model 3 Long Range ≈ 75 kWh)

Current State of Charge (%) Your battery's current charge level before plugging in

Target State of Charge (%) Desired charge level after charging session

Charger Efficiency (%) Level 1 chargers ≈ 85%, Level 2 chargers ≈ 90–95%

Electricity Rate (¢/kWh) Tennessee average residential rate ≈ 11.5 ¢/kWh (TVA service area, 2024)

Charging Sessions per Month How many times per month you perform this type of charge

1. Energy needed from battery (kWh):
E_battery = Battery Capacity × (Target% − Current%) ÷ 100

2. Grid energy drawn (kWh) — accounts for charger losses:
E_grid = E_battery ÷ (Charger Efficiency ÷ 100)

3. Cost per session ($):
Cost_session = E_grid × (Rate ÷ 100)

4. Monthly cost ($):
Cost_monthly = Cost_session × Sessions per Month

5. Annual cost ($):
Cost_annual = Cost_monthly × 12

6. Cost per mile ($):
Cost/mile = Cost_session ÷ (E_battery × EV Efficiency)
where EV Efficiency = 3.5 miles/kWh (US average)

7. Annual savings vs. gasoline ($):
Savings = (Gas Cost/Mile − EV Cost/Mile) × Miles/Session × Sessions/Month × 12

Tennessee electricity rate: ~11.5 ¢/kWh (U.S. EIA, Tennessee residential average, 2024; TVA service territory rates may vary slightly by local distributor).
Charger efficiency: Level 1 (120V) chargers typically operate at ~85% efficiency; Level 2 (240V) chargers at ~90–95% due to AC-to-DC conversion losses.
EV efficiency: 3.5 miles/kWh is the approximate U.S. average across popular EV models (EPA). Actual efficiency varies by vehicle, speed, temperature, and driving style.
Gasoline comparison: Uses $3.30/gallon (U.S. national average, 2024) and 28 MPG (EPA average for new gasoline passenger cars).
Battery capacity: Refers to usable (net) capacity, not gross capacity. Manufacturers typically reserve 5–10% as a buffer.
No demand charges: Most Tennessee residential customers are billed on a flat energy rate without time-of-use or demand charges, though some utilities offer optional TOU rates.
Sources: U.S. EIA Tennessee, TVA Rate Information, EPA FuelEconomy.gov.

In the network