NC EV Charging Cost Calculator

Estimate your electric vehicle charging costs in North Carolina using your local utility rate, vehicle battery capacity, and driving habits.

Full usable battery capacity of your EV (e.g. Tesla Model 3 LR = 75 kWh, Nissan Leaf = 40 kWh)
How charged is your battery right now?
What charge level are you targeting? (80% recommended for daily use)
NC average residential rate is ~11.5 ¢/kWh (Duke Energy ~11.2¢, Dominion Energy NC ~11.8¢)
Level 1/2 home chargers: ~85–90%. DC fast chargers: ~90–95%
Check your vehicle's EPA rating (e.g. Tesla Model 3 LR ≈ 4.0, Chevy Bolt ≈ 3.5, F-150 Lightning ≈ 2.0)
How many times per month do you perform this charge session?

Formulas Used

1. Battery Energy Needed (kWh):
kWhbattery = Battery Capacity × (Target SoC% − Current SoC%) ÷ 100

2. Wall Energy Drawn (kWh):
kWhwall = kWhbattery ÷ (Charger Efficiency ÷ 100)
Accounts for heat and conversion losses in the charger hardware.

3. Cost Per Session ($):
Cost = kWhwall × (Rate in ¢/kWh ÷ 100)

4. Monthly & Annual Cost:
Monthly = Cost/Session × Sessions/Month
Annual = Monthly × 12

5. Cost Per Mile:
Miles/Session = kWhbattery × Vehicle Efficiency (miles/kWh)
¢/mile = (Cost/Session ÷ Miles/Session) × 100

6. Gas Savings Comparison:
Gas Cost/Mile = Gas Price/Gallon ÷ ICE MPG
Savings/Session = (Gas Cost/Mile − EV Cost/Mile) × Miles/Session

Assumptions & References

  • NC Average Residential Electricity Rate: ~11.5 ¢/kWh (U.S. EIA, 2024 — Duke Energy Carolinas ~11.2¢, Dominion Energy NC ~11.8¢)
  • Level 1/2 Home Charger Efficiency: ~85–90% (DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center)
  • DC Fast Charger Efficiency: ~90–95% (SAE J1772 / CHAdeMO standards)
  • Gas Price Comparison: ~$3.20/gallon (NC average, AAA 2024) at 28 MPG average ICE vehicle (EPA)
  • Battery SoC: Most EV manufacturers recommend charging to 80% for daily use to preserve battery longevity (Tesla, GM, Ford owner manuals)
  • Vehicle Efficiency Examples: Tesla Model 3 LR ~4.0 mi/kWh, Chevy Bolt ~3.5 mi/kWh, Nissan Leaf ~3.3 mi/kWh, Ford F-150 Lightning ~2.0 mi/kWh (EPA fueleconomy.gov)
  • This calculator estimates costs only. Actual costs vary by time-of-use rates, EV-specific utility plans (Duke Energy EV rates), temperature, driving conditions, and charger hardware.
  • NC utilities offering EV-specific rates: Duke Energy Progress EV Advantage Plan, Duke Energy Carolinas EV Rate, Dominion Energy NC EV Plan

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