Showing Australia · real 2026 prices

What will an EV road trip cost you?

Enter your distance and car. We'll estimate the charging cost, how many fast-charge stops you'll need, time spent charging — and how it compares to fuel.

Your trip & car

Pick a route or type your own distance.

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Syd–Mel (870) Bris–Syd (920) Mel–Adel (730)
⚡ Electric
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kWh
Small (40) Mid (60) Large (77)
c/kWh
50 60 70
⛽ Petrol / Diesel
+
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Petrol Diesel

Trip estimate

EV charging cost
$77
vs $132 in fuel — you save $55
Fast-charge stops
3
Time charging
~1h 45m
Energy used
157 kWh
Cost per 100km
$8.90
⚡ EV $77 ⛽ Fuel $132
🌿 CO₂ saved vs petrol ~67 kg

Estimate only. Assumes you start with a full home charge, then top up 20→80% at fast chargers (~35 min each). Real cost depends on charger speed, network and conditions.

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How we work it out

A simple, transparent model you can adjust to your own car and route.

The assumptions

  • Start of tripfull home charge
  • On-road top-ups20% → 80% at fast chargers
  • Time per fast stop~35 minutes
  • Charging losses~10%
  • Typical public DC rate~50–70c / kWh
  • Home charge for first leg~15c / kWh
  • CO₂ saved this tripfuel L × 2.31–2.68kg − trip kWh × 0.6kg

First leg runs on your cheap home charge; the rest is charged publicly. Stops = remaining distance ÷ range added per 20–80% charge. CO₂ saved = (trip litres of fuel × its factor) − (trip kWh × 0.6 kg grid average), using 2.31 kg/L for petrol or 2.68 kg/L for diesel. Real trips vary with charger availability, speed and driving conditions. Estimates only, not advice.

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How much does an EV road trip cost in Australia?

A long EV trip usually costs less than the same drive in a petrol car — provided you start with a cheap home charge and top up smartly.

The first leg runs on electricity you charged at home overnight (around 15c/kWh), the cheapest energy you’ll get. Once that’s used up you rely on public fast-chargers at roughly 50–70c/kWh — still cheaper per kilometre than petrol, but the gap narrows. The calculator splits your trip this way to give a realistic total.

Fast-charging stops add time as well as cost. Charging from 20% to 80% takes around 35 minutes at a typical DC charger, and you’ll need a stop roughly every 250–350 km depending on your car’s battery and highway efficiency. Highway driving uses more energy than city driving, so set your efficiency a little higher than your everyday figure.

Real trips vary with charger availability, weather and how hard you drive. Treat the result as a solid estimate and pad your time budget for the occasional busy or out-of-service charger.