Estimate the full cost of a public/DC fast charging session in India — energy, fees, charging losses, and how it compares with charging at home.
Rates vary by operator (Tata Power EV, BPCL Jio-bp, Zeon, Ather Grid, etc.) and state, and change over time — these ranges are indicative only. Home charging at roughly ₹8/kWh is typically 2–3× cheaper per kWh, though this excludes any session, parking, or minimum-charging fees a public station may add.
A public charging session bill is rarely just "kWh × price". This calculator models four separate pieces: the energy your battery actually gains, the extra energy the charger has to draw from the grid to cover conversion losses, any flat fees the operator charges regardless of energy used, and a minimum-charge floor some operators apply for short sessions. It then converts the result into a per-kilometre figure using your EV's real-world efficiency, and shows what the same energy would have cost you at home.
Energy Delivered to Battery = Battery Capacity × (Battery % Added ÷ 100) Energy Purchased (from grid) = Energy Delivered ÷ (1 − Charging Loss % ÷ 100) Electricity Charge = Energy Purchased × Energy Price (₹/kWh) Effective Electricity Charge = MAX(Electricity Charge, Minimum Charging Fee) Additional Fees = Session Fee + Parking Fee Total Session Cost = Effective Electricity Charge + Additional Fees Distance Added = Energy Delivered × EV Efficiency (km/kWh) Cost per Kilometre = Total Session Cost ÷ Distance Added Estimated Charging Time = Energy Purchased ÷ Charger Power (kW) Home Charging Comparison = Energy Delivered × Home Energy Price (₹/kWh)
A 60 kWh car charges from 20% to 80% (60% added) on a 50 kW DC fast charger at ₹18/kWh, with an 8% charging loss, ₹0 session fee, ₹20 parking fee, no minimum fee, and 7 km/kWh efficiency:
Energy Delivered = 60 × 0.60 = 36 kWh Energy Purchased = 36 ÷ (1 − 0.08) ≈ 39.13 kWh Electricity Charge = 39.13 × ₹18 ≈ ₹704.35 Additional Fees = ₹0 + ₹20 = ₹20 Total Session Cost ≈ ₹724.35 Distance Added = 36 × 7 = 252 km Cost per Kilometre ≈ ₹2.87/km Charging Time = 39.13 ÷ 50 ≈ 0.78 hours (~47 minutes) Same Energy at Home (₹8/kWh) = 36 × ₹8 = ₹288 → about ₹436 more at the public charger
| Default value | Basis | Last updated |
|---|---|---|
| DC energy price ₹18/kWh | Indicative mid-range rate seen across major public charging networks (Tata Power EV, BPCL Jio-bp, Statiq, Zeon) | Sep 2026 |
| Charging loss 8% | Representative mid-point for AC-DC conversion and battery-charging losses on DC fast charging | Sep 2026 |
| Home energy price ₹8/kWh | Indicative residential domestic tariff slab used for comparison purposes only | Sep 2026 |
These are editable starting points, not fixed national tariffs — actual rates vary by operator, charger type, state, and time of use. Always check the price shown on the charger or in the operator's app before you plug in.
Why is my public charging bill higher than energy price × kWh?
Most sessions add a session/connection fee, a parking fee, or a minimum charging fee on top of the energy charge, and the energy purchased from the grid is usually a bit more than what lands in your battery because of charging losses.
What is charging loss and why does it matter?
It's the energy lost as heat during AC-to-DC conversion and battery charging. If you want 10 kWh in your battery with an 8% loss, the charger draws about 10.9 kWh from the grid — and you're billed for that higher figure.
How is estimated charging time calculated?
Energy drawn from the charger ÷ charger power rating. It's a simplified average — real sessions usually slow down near the end due to charging-curve taper and temperature limits.
Are the default prices accurate for every station?
No — tariffs vary by operator, state, and charger type, and change over time. Edit the fields with the tariff shown on the charger or app before relying on the result.