EV Road Trip Planner
How many charging stops will your trip need — and how long and expensive will they be? Enter the distance, your car's real-world range, its efficiency, the average charging speed you'll get, and the price per kWh. The planner does the rest.
Your trip
Everything updates live as you type.
Your charging plan
en routeAssumptions: you start with a full battery, charge only en route, and the average charging speed reflects a typical 10–80% charging curve.
How the road trip planner works
The planner assumes you leave home with a full battery and only charge on the road. The number of stops comes from how many full ranges fit into your trip: you drive the first range on the home charge, then stop once per remaining range.
stops = ceil(trip distance ÷ range) − 1
For the example defaults: 800 km ÷ 380 km = 2.1, rounded up to 3 ranges, minus the first one you drive on the home charge = 2 charging stops.
Total energy is based on your efficiency, then converted to time and money with your charging speed and price:
energy = (distance ÷ 100) × kWh/100kmcharging time = energy ÷ kWcharging cost = energy × €/kWh
With the defaults: 144 kWh of energy, 144 ÷ 120 kW = 1.2 hours (1 h 12 min) of charging, costing 144 × €0.45 = €64.80.
Why "average" charging speed, not peak?
EVs charge fastest between roughly 10% and 80% battery, then slow down sharply. A car advertised at "200 kW peak" might average 110–130 kW over a full stop. Using the average keeps the time estimate honest — enter a lower speed if you'll charge past 80% or in cold weather.
Frequently asked questions
How many charging stops do I need on a long trip?
Divide your trip distance by your real-world range and round up, then subtract one for the range you drive on your home charge. For an 800 km trip with 380 km of real range, that's 2 stops. The planner above does this instantly.
Why is the charging time only an estimate?
Real charging follows a curve: fast from 10–80%, then much slower. Cold batteries, shared chargers and charging past 80% all add time. Treat the result as a realistic minimum and add a buffer for busy travel days.
Should I charge to 100% at each stop?
Usually not — charging from 80% to 100% can take as long as 10% to 80%. For the fastest trip, charge just enough to reach the next stop comfortably and keep each session in the fast part of the curve.
What if my route only has slower chargers?
Lower the "average charging speed" input to match — e.g. 50 kW for older fast chargers or 22 kW for AC destination chargers. The stops stay the same; only the time changes.
Does cold weather change the plan?
Yes — winter range can drop 15–30%. Lower the "real-world range" input for winter trips and the planner will add the extra stops automatically. Preconditioning the battery before a fast charge also helps.
Last updated: September 2026.
Disclaimer: True EV Cost tools are for information only and are not professional financial advice. Actual charging times and costs depend on your car, the chargers and the weather.