How much does it cost to charge an electric car?
It depends almost entirely on where you charge. At home on an overnight EV tariff it can cost a few pence a mile. On the public rapid network, which averaged around 77 to 80p per kWh in mid-2026, it can cost about 24p a mile, more than many petrol cars.
Updated 14 October 2026
Working it out
Cost to charge = battery energy added (kWh) × price per kWh. Cost per mile = price per kWh ÷ the miles your car does per kWh. A typical electric car does around 3 to 4 miles per kWh, more in summer and less in winter.
So at 80p per kWh and 3.3 miles per kWh, that is about 24p a mile. At 8p per kWh on an overnight tariff, it is under 3p a mile.
Home charging
On a standard household tariff, home charging costs whatever your unit rate is. Specialist EV tariffs offer much cheaper electricity for a few hours overnight, which is where electric cars are cheapest to run by a wide margin.
A home wallbox (usually 7kW) is faster and safer for regular charging than a three-pin plug.
Public charging
Public prices vary widely by network and speed. Slower destination chargers are usually cheaper than rapid and ultra-rapid points. Zapmap’s price index put the average pay-as-you-go price for rapid and ultra-rapid chargers at around 77 to 80p per kWh in mid-2026. Memberships and subscriptions from some networks bring that down for regular users.
Planning around it
If you cannot charge at home, the cost of running an electric car depends on finding reasonably priced public charging. Odomint’s Map tab shows nearby chargers with their speed and the price the operator publishes, and its mileage tracker shows how far you drive each month: the two numbers that decide what charging will cost you.
A full charge, worked through
Take a car with a 60kWh battery charging from 20 to 80 per cent: 36kWh added. At 80p per kWh on a rapid charger that is about £28.80. At 25p per kWh on a standard home tariff, about £9. At 8p per kWh on an overnight EV tariff, under £3 for the same energy.
That is why the answer to "is an electric car cheaper to run?" depends so heavily on home charging. With a driveway and an overnight tariff, running costs per mile are a fraction of petrol. Relying entirely on public rapid chargers can make it more expensive than an efficient petrol car.
Common questions
How much does rapid charging cost in the UK?
Around 77 to 80p per kWh on average for rapid and ultra-rapid chargers on pay-as-you-go in mid-2026, according to Zapmap’s price index.
Is it cheaper to charge an electric car at home?
Yes, much cheaper, especially on an overnight EV tariff, where the cost per mile can be a fraction of public rapid charging.
How many miles per kWh does an electric car do?
Typically around 3 to 4 miles per kWh, depending on the car, speed and weather. Efficiency drops in cold weather.
Check any car before you buy it
MOT history, every advisory and the full mileage record are free for any UK registration. An Odomint Check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers and salvage history, with a £10,000 data guarantee.