Cost to charge an electric car in Australia (2026)
As of August 6, 2026, charging an electric car at home in Australia costs about $5.06–$7.50 per 100 km ($0.33/kWh, including the ~12% AC charging loss) across the 25 electric models we price — versus about $11.41 of petrol for a typical 7 L/100 km car. Home charging only; every model below links to its full cost page.
Per 100 km at home — Australia
| Electric model | kWh/100km | Per 100 km at home |
|---|---|---|
| BYD Dolphin | 13.5 kWh/100km | $5.06 |
| BYD Atto 1 (Essential) | 13.8 kWh/100km | $5.18 |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | 14 kWh/100km | $5.25 |
| Hyundai Inster | 14.3 kWh/100km | $5.36 |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | 14.5 kWh/100km | $5.44 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 14.6 kWh/100km | $5.48 |
| Kia EV3 (Air Standard Range) | 14.8 kWh/100km | $5.55 |
| BYD Atto 2 (Dynamic) | 14.9 kWh/100km | $5.59 |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD | 15 kWh/100km | $5.63 |
| MG S5 EV (Excite 62kWh) | 15.4 kWh/100km | $5.78 |
| Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD | 15.5 kWh/100km | $5.81 |
| BYD Atto 3 | 15.5 kWh/100km | $5.81 |
| GWM Ora 5 | 15.5 kWh/100km | $5.81 |
| Geely EX5 | 15.9 kWh/100km | $5.96 |
| MG4 | 16 kWh/100km | $6.00 |
| Porsche Macan RWD (Electric) | 16.2 kWh/100km | $6.07 |
| BYD Seal | 16.5 kWh/100km | $6.19 |
| MG ZS EV | 16.5 kWh/100km | $6.19 |
| Zeekr 7X (RWD) | 16.5 kWh/100km | $6.19 |
| BMW iX1 xDrive30 | 17.1 kWh/100km | $6.41 |
| Deepal S07 | 17.6 kWh/100km | $6.60 |
| BYD Sealion 7 | 18 kWh/100km | $6.75 |
| Leapmotor C10 Design | 18 kWh/100km | $6.75 |
| Kia EV5 | 18.2 kWh/100km | $6.82 |
| Genesis GV70 Electrified | 20 kWh/100km | $7.50 |
A typical 7 L/100 km petrol car: $11.41/100 km.
Home vs public charging in Australia — the 5 cheapest EVs to charge
Public and DC fast charging in Australia is billed per session by each network and varies widely, so we model it the way the kernel does on every cost page: 2.5× the home rate — about $0.83/kWh against $0.33/kWh at home. That is a planning estimate, not any network's tariff. Here is what it does to the 5 cheapest-to-charge models we price in Australia:
| Electric model | Per 100 km at home | Public (≈2.5× home) | Extra per year if all-public |
|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Dolphin | $5.06 | $12.66 | +$911 |
| BYD Atto 1 (Essential) | $5.18 | $12.94 | +$932 |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | $5.25 | $13.13 | +$945 |
| Hyundai Inster | $5.36 | $13.41 | +$965 |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | $5.44 | $13.59 | +$979 |
- BYD Dolphin is the cheapest EV to charge in Australia — $5.06 per 100 km at home — and at the public estimate ($12.66) it costs more than the $11.41 of petrol for a 7 L/100 km car — the energy saving is gone without home charging.
- A BYD Atto 1 (Essential) draws 13.8 kWh per 100 km, so home charging runs $5.18; at the public estimate ($12.94) it costs more than the $11.41 of petrol for a 7 L/100 km car — the energy saving is gone without home charging.
- For the Tesla Model 3 RWD, public-only charging would add about $945 a year at 12,000 km/year over charging at home ($5.25 vs $13.13 per 100 km); that tips it past the $11.41 a 7 L/100 km petrol car needs.
- A Hyundai Inster draws 14.3 kWh per 100 km, so home charging runs $5.36; at the public estimate ($13.41) it costs more than the $11.41 of petrol for a 7 L/100 km car — the energy saving is gone without home charging.
- For the Tesla Model Y RWD, public-only charging would add about $979 a year at 12,000 km/year over charging at home ($5.44 vs $13.59 per 100 km); that tips it past the $11.41 a 7 L/100 km petrol car needs.
At the 2.5× public estimate, none of these 5 models stays below the $11.41 of petrol for a typical 7 L/100 km car — in Australia, the running-cost case for an EV rests squarely on home charging. Our 5-year totals on each model page assume 80% home / 20% public charging at this same multiple — these two columns are the ends of that range.