EV Real-World Range & Cost Calculator
See your usable real-world range after cold and highway losses — and what it costs to drive 100 miles.
How much does it cost to drive an EV per mile?
Divide the energy your EV uses by its real-world efficiency, then price it at your electricity rate. At this tool's defaults — a 75 kWh battery rated at 3.5 mi/kWh, a 20% cold/highway derate and $0.16/kWh — real efficiency drops to 2.8 mi/kWh, so 100 miles uses about 36 kWh and costs roughly $5.71, while usable range falls from 263 to about 210 miles.
Your numbers
Usable real-world range
210
miles per charge
Cost to drive 100 miles
$5.71
Real-world efficiency
2.8
mi/kWh after derate
Insight — Rated range is measured in ideal conditions. Cold temperatures, highway speeds, climate control and a heavy right foot all reduce it — a 15–30% derate is realistic. Plan road trips around your usable range, not the window-sticker number.
Data behind the defaults
- $0.17/kWh·Editorial estimate· as of 2026-06-01· medium confidence
These defaults are starting points from the sources above — every field is editable, and results are estimates, not quotes. All data sources →
What if Real-world derate changes?
| Real-world derate | Usable real-world range |
|---|---|
| 0% | 262.5 |
| 10% | 236.25 |
| 20% · now | 210 |
| 30% | 183.75 |
| 40% | 157.5 |
Run the real EV numbers
Charging, payback and running cost depend on your mileage and local prices — benchmark them before you commit.
Explore EV toolsFree · No sign-up · Independent, source-based math
For context: a 75 kWh EV rated at 3.5 mi/kWh works out to about 263 miles in ideal conditions, but a typical 20% cold/highway derate cuts usable range to roughly 210 miles and raises the cost of 100 miles from about $4.57 to $5.71 at $0.16/kWh. Adjust the derate to match your own conditions.
How this calculator works
Rated efficiency is measured in mild conditions, so the calculator applies your real-world derate to reflect cold weather and sustained highway speeds. It multiplies rated efficiency by (1 − derate) to get real efficiency, then multiplies that by the battery size for usable range. For running cost it works out the energy needed to cover 100 miles at that real efficiency and prices it at your electricity rate. The gap between rated range and usable range shows exactly how many miles the conditions cost you. It is a modeled estimate, not a utility bill.
Formula
Real efficiency = rated mi/kWh × (1 − derate %). Usable range = battery kWh × real efficiency. Energy per 100 miles = 100 ÷ real efficiency. Cost per 100 miles = energy per 100 miles × electricity price. Rated range = battery × rated efficiency.
Worked example
3.5 mi/kWh × (1 − 0.20) = 2.8 mi/kWh real. Usable range = 75 kWh × 2.8 = 210 miles, versus a rated 262.5 — about 52 miles lost. Energy per 100 miles = 100 ÷ 2.8 ≈ 35.7 kWh × $0.16 ≈ $5.71 to drive 100 miles, or about 5.7¢ per mile.
What affects your result
- →Rated efficiency in mi/kWh
- →Real-world derate — cold weather and highway speeds, typically 15–30%
- →Usable battery size in kWh
- →Electricity price per kWh
- →Driving style and climate-control use, which push the derate up or down
What this estimate includes
- ✓Usable real-world range after the derate
- ✓Real-world efficiency in mi/kWh
- ✓Energy used and cost to drive 100 miles
- ✓Range lost compared with the rated figure
What it does not include
- ×Charging efficiency losses at the wall (see the charging cost calculator)
- ×Public DC fast-charging premiums beyond your entered rate
- ×Battery degradation over the car's life
- ×Purchase price, insurance and maintenance
- ×It applies one flat derate, not trip-by-trip conditions
Good to know
Clear, practical answers about the ev range & cost calculator.
Why is my real EV range lower than the rated number?＋
Rated range comes from controlled tests in mild conditions. In the real world, cold weather, highway speeds, heating and air conditioning, and aggressive driving all draw extra energy. A 15–30% reduction from the rated figure is common, and the derate slider lets you model your own conditions.
How much does cold weather cut EV range?＋
In freezing temperatures, EV range can drop 20–40% because the battery is less efficient and cabin heating draws significant power. Preconditioning the car while it's plugged in and using seat heaters instead of cabin heat help recover some of that lost range.
What does it cost to drive an EV 100 miles?＋
At the US average of $0.16/kWh and a real-world 2.8 mi/kWh after derate, 100 miles costs about $5.70. An efficient EV in mild weather can dip toward $4. Compare that with $12 or more for a 28 MPG gas car at $3.40 a gallon.
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