EV Charging Cost Calculator (Illinois Electricity Rates)

Estimate how much it costs to charge your electric vehicle at home using current Illinois electricity rates. Enter your vehicle's battery size, current charge level, and target charge level to get an accurate cost estimate.

Check your vehicle manual or manufacturer specs (e.g., Tesla Model 3 Long Range = 82 kWh)
Your battery's current charge percentage
Recommended: charge to 80% for daily use, 100% for long trips
Level 1 & 2 home chargers typically operate at 85–92% efficiency
Select your utility provider's rate plan
How many times per month do you perform this charge cycle?

Formula

Step 1 – Usable Energy Needed (kWh):
Usable Energy = Battery Capacity (kWh) × (Target Charge% − Current Charge%) ÷ 100

Step 2 – Grid Energy Drawn (kWh):
Grid Energy = Usable Energy ÷ (Charger Efficiency ÷ 100)
This accounts for energy lost as heat during AC→DC conversion in the charger and onboard charger unit.

Step 3 – Cost Per Session ($):
Cost Per Session = Grid Energy (kWh) × Electricity Rate ($/kWh)

Step 4 – Monthly Cost ($):
Monthly Cost = Cost Per Session × Sessions Per Month

Step 5 – Annual Cost ($):
Annual Cost = Monthly Cost × 12

Assumptions & References

  • ComEd Residential Standard Rate (~$0.1289/kWh): Based on ComEd's published 2024 residential supply and delivery rates for northern Illinois. Rates vary by billing period and usage tier. Source: ComEd Rate Tariff, ICC Docket.
  • Ameren Illinois Residential Rate (~$0.1210/kWh): Based on Ameren Illinois 2024 Schedule RS (Residential Service) average all-in rate. Source: Ameren Illinois Tariff, Illinois Commerce Commission.
  • ComEd Time-of-Use rates: Off-peak (~$0.135/kWh) applies nights/weekends; on-peak (~$0.175/kWh) applies weekday afternoons. Enrollment required. Source: ComEd Hourly Pricing Program.
  • Charger efficiency (85–92%): Level 1 (120V) and Level 2 (240V) home chargers typically lose 8–15% of energy to heat during conversion. DC fast chargers are slightly more efficient (~93–95%) but are not typical for home use.
  • EV efficiency (3.5 miles/kWh): U.S. average across popular EV models (EPA). Actual range varies by vehicle, speed, temperature, and driving style.
  • Gas comparison: Illinois average gasoline price of $3.20/gallon and average ICE vehicle fuel economy of 28 MPG (EPA fleet average) are used for illustrative comparison only.
  • Rates shown are estimates and may not reflect current utility tariffs, taxes, fees, or demand charges. Always verify your rate on your electricity bill or utility website.
  • Battery degradation over time is not modeled; actual usable capacity may be lower in older vehicles.

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