EV range calculator
VehiclesHow far will your electric car go?
Estimate the range from battery size, consumption and charge level, with a cold-weather option.
What you enter stays on your device while you use this tool. Opening a shared link sends the settings in its address to HowToolbox to prepare the page.
More options
Estimated range
189 mi
54 kWh used from 100% to 10% at 3.5 mi/kWh. That is about 304 km.
Sponsored Links
Estimate the range from battery size, consumption and charge level, with a cold-weather option.
How to use
- Enter the battery capacity in kWh. If you know the car only shows part of it, enter the usable share under More options.
- Enter the car's consumption in the unit you know: kWh/100 km, Wh/km or miles per kWh. Your trip computer shows a recent average.
- Set the charge you start with and the charge you want to keep in reserve, and choose cold weather if it applies. Copy the link to share the estimate.
Range by battery size at 18 kWh/100 km, from 100 % to 10 %
| Battery (kWh) | Mild weather | Cold, heater off | Cold, heater on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 200 km | 176 km | 118 km |
| 50 | 250 km | 220 km | 148 km |
| 60 | 300 km | 264 km | 177 km |
| 75 | 375 km | 330 km | 221 km |
| 100 | 500 km | 440 km | 295 km |
Cold figures apply the 12 % and 41 % shorter ranges that the U.S. Department of Energy reports for 20 °F (−7 °C).
How it works
An electric car's range is the energy you can use from the battery divided by the energy it uses per kilometre. The usable energy is the capacity times the usable share, times the part of the charge you drive through, for example from 100 % down to a 10 % reserve.
Range = capacity × usable share × (start charge − end charge) ÷ consumption. A 60 kWh battery driven from 100 % to 10 % gives 54 kWh; at 18 kWh/100 km that is 54 ÷ 0.18 = 300 km. Consumption units that count the other way, such as miles per kWh, are converted first, using the exact definition of the mile.
Cold weather is optional and uses one published test. The U.S. Department of Energy (fueleconomy.gov), citing a 2019 AAA test, reports that at 20 °F (−7 °C) an electric car's range is about 12 % lower than at 75 °F with the cabin heater off and about 41 % lower with it on. Your car, speed and heating habits will differ.
This is a planning estimate. Speed, load, tyres, hills, preconditioning and the age of the battery are not modelled, so use your own recent average consumption for the best result.
Worked example
How far does a 60 kWh battery go at 18 kWh/100 km, from 100 % to 10 %?
- 60 kWh × (100 % − 10 %) = 54 kWh used.
- 54 kWh ÷ 18 kWh/100 km × 100 = 300 km.
300 km
Sponsored Links
Frequently asked questions
How far can an electric car go in winter?
In the AAA test used by the U.S. Department of Energy, range was about 12 % lower at 20 °F (−7 °C) with the heater off and about 41 % lower with it on, compared with 75 °F. Choose the cold options to see that effect on your own car.
What consumption should I enter?
Use the average on your trip computer for the kind of driving you plan, not the official figure on the sales brochure. Motorway speeds use more energy than town driving.
What is the usable share of the battery?
Many cars hold back a small part of the battery that you cannot use. If you enter the gross capacity, set the usable share (for example 95 %). If you enter the net capacity, leave it at 100 %.
Why keep a reserve?
Arriving at 0 % is risky and rarely possible. Charging stations may be busy or out of order, so most drivers plan to arrive with 10 % or more.
Does a full battery really drive from 100 % to 0 %?
In practice you rarely do. Fast charging slows down above about 80 %, so long trips usually run between 10 % and 80 %. Set the start and end charge to match your plan.
How do I convert kWh/100 km to miles per kWh?
Divide 62.14 by the kWh/100 km figure. 18 kWh/100 km is about 3.45 miles per kWh. The consumption unit selector does this for you.
Next you might need
- Electricity cost calculatorTurn an appliance's power, daily use and your electricity price into kWh and cost., private, runs on your deviceMoney & financeCalculatorCostsEnergy
- Tailpipe CO₂ calculatorGrams of CO₂ per kilometre or mile, and kilograms a year, from what your petrol or diesel car burns., private, runs on your deviceVehiclesCalculatorEnergyDistance
- EV charging calculatorCharging time, energy from the grid and cost for any charger, with losses and the car's own limits., private, runs on your deviceVehiclesCalculatorCostsEnergy
- Fuel cost calculatorWork out the fuel and the cost of a trip from distance, consumption and fuel price., private, runs on your deviceEverydayCalculatorCostsDistance
- Daily calorie calculatorYour resting energy (BMR) and an estimate of the energy you use in a day, in kcal or kJ, from your age, size and activity., private, runs on your deviceHealth & fitnessCalculatorFitnessEnergy
- Calories burned calculatorThe energy you use in about 200 activities, from walking and running to swimming, skiing and housework, by their MET values., private, runs on your deviceHealth & fitnessCalculatorFitnessEnergy
More in Vehicles
All 9 utilities in VehiclesPopular now
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links