How much does it cost to charge an electric car? By model
The battery size and real charging speed of the car you drive changes the answer more than anything else. Here's the full-charge and 10-80% cost for 5 of the UK's most-registered electric cars, at home, off-peak and on public rapid chargers.
| Model | Battery | WLTP range | Max DC | Home standard | Home off-peak | Public rapid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD | 79kWh | 387mi | 250kW | £60.83 | £20.79 | £6.32 |
| Kia EV3 Long Range | 81.4kWh | 375mi | 128kW | £62.68 | £21.42 | £6.51 |
| Volkswagen ID.3 Pro | 59kWh | 269mi | 120kW | £45.43 | £15.53 | £4.72 |
| MG4 EV Standard | 64kWh | 280mi | 144kW | £49.28 | £16.84 | £5.12 |
| BYD Dolphin Extended Range | 60.4kWh | 217mi | 110kW | £46.51 | £15.90 | £4.83 |
Want the maths for your own numbers instead of a fixed model? Use the EV charging cost calculator or compare against petrol and diesel with today's local prices.
Model by model
Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD
- Usable battery: 79kWh. WLTP range: 387 miles (4.9 mi/kWh WLTP; real-world efficiency runs lower, especially in winter).
- Full charge (0-100%) at home standard rate (26.3p/kWh): £20.79. On an EV off-peak tariff (8p/kWh): £6.32.
- Public rapid charging: up to 250kW, a 10-80% top-up in about 25 minutes at a compatible rapid charger, costing about £42.58 at the UK average rapid rate.
- Cost per mile at home standard rate: about 5.8p, using the manufacturer's WLTP-derived efficiency of 4.57 mi/kWh (real-world efficiency is usually a little lower).
- Source: Tesla UK specifications, checked 2026-09-26.
Kia EV3 Long Range
- Usable battery: 81.4kWh. WLTP range: 375 miles (4.6 mi/kWh WLTP; real-world efficiency runs lower, especially in winter).
- Full charge (0-100%) at home standard rate (26.3p/kWh): £21.42. On an EV off-peak tariff (8p/kWh): £6.51.
- Public rapid charging: up to 128kW, a 10-80% top-up in about 31 minutes at a compatible rapid charger, costing about £43.87 at the UK average rapid rate.
- Cost per mile at home standard rate: about 5.7p, using the manufacturer's WLTP-derived efficiency of 4.6 mi/kWh (real-world efficiency is usually a little lower).
- Source: Kia UK specifications, checked 2026-09-26.
Volkswagen ID.3 Pro
- Usable battery: 59kWh. WLTP range: 269 miles (4.6 mi/kWh WLTP; real-world efficiency runs lower, especially in winter).
- Full charge (0-100%) at home standard rate (26.3p/kWh): £15.53. On an EV off-peak tariff (8p/kWh): £4.72.
- Public rapid charging: up to 120kW, a 10-80% top-up in about 35 minutes at a compatible rapid charger, costing about £31.80 at the UK average rapid rate.
- Cost per mile at home standard rate: about 5.8p, using the manufacturer's WLTP-derived efficiency of 4.56 mi/kWh (real-world efficiency is usually a little lower).
- Source: Volkswagen UK specifications, checked 2026-09-26.
MG4 EV Standard
- Usable battery: 64kWh. WLTP range: 280 miles (4.4 mi/kWh WLTP; real-world efficiency runs lower, especially in winter).
- Full charge (0-100%) at home standard rate (26.3p/kWh): £16.84. On an EV off-peak tariff (8p/kWh): £5.12.
- Public rapid charging: up to 144kW, a 10-80% top-up in about 35 minutes at a compatible rapid charger, costing about £34.50 at the UK average rapid rate.
- Cost per mile at home standard rate: about 6p, using the manufacturer's WLTP-derived efficiency of 4.4 mi/kWh (real-world efficiency is usually a little lower).
- Source: MG Motor UK specifications, checked 2026-09-26.
BYD Dolphin Extended Range
- Usable battery: 60.4kWh. WLTP range: 217 miles (3.6 mi/kWh WLTP; real-world efficiency runs lower, especially in winter).
- Full charge (0-100%) at home standard rate (26.3p/kWh): £15.90. On an EV off-peak tariff (8p/kWh): £4.83.
- Public rapid charging: up to 110kW, a 10-80% top-up in about 40 minutes at a compatible rapid charger, costing about £32.56 at the UK average rapid rate.
- Cost per mile at home standard rate: about 7.3p, using the manufacturer's WLTP-derived efficiency of 3.6 mi/kWh (real-world efficiency is usually a little lower).
- Source: BYD / EV Database specifications, checked 2026-09-26.
- EV vs petrol vs diesel: cost-per-mile calculator
- EV charging cost calculator (home, workplace, public)
- Cost to charge an electric car, by model
Sources and assumptions, checked 26 September 2026
- Home rate: Ofgem energy price cap, Direct Debit GB average, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (ofgem.gov.uk).
- Off-peak EV tariff: Octopus Intelligent Go, typical published off-peak EV rate, national indicative figure, checked September 2026 (octopus.energy). Off-peak rates vary by the UK's 14 regional distribution zones.
- Public rapid charging: Zapmap EV Charging Price Index, weighted UK average for 50kW+ rapid/ultra-rapid chargers, pay-as-you-go, August 2026 (zapmap.com).
- EV efficiency default: Typical real-world efficiency across current UK family EVs (3.5-4.6 mi/kWh depending on model; see the model table below), checked 26 September 2026.
- Annual mileage default: Commonly cited UK average annual car mileage figure, checked September 2026.
- Petrol/diesel mpg defaults: Typical real-world (not WLTP-sticker) fuel economy for mixed UK driving: WLTP figures usually overstate real-world economy by 15-25%.
- Model specifications: manufacturer UK spec sheets and EV Database, each checked individually (see the source line under each model above).
Petrol and diesel prices are today's live average from our own data (see the note under the result). Everything else is a default you can override in the form; the maths and the sources are shown so you can check them, not just trust them.