Free tool

EV road trip calculator

Planning a long drive in an EV? See how many charging stops you'd need, how much longer it takes and what it costs compared with petrol.

Last updated November 2026

The trip

Distance one way

Route buttons are approximate highway distances.
Use your map app for your exact route.

kmReturn trip?

Electric car

Battery size

Usable capacity.

kWhHighway energy use

Highway energy use

At 100–110 km/h most EVs use 17–23 kWh/100 km: more than in town.
Add 20–40% for towing, roof racks, headwinds or hills.

kWh/100kmLeave home at%Arrive with at least

Arrive with at least

A safety buffer in case a charger is broken or busy. 10–20% is sensible; more in remote areas.

%Charge to at stops

Charge to at stops

Fast charging slows a lot above 80%, so short, frequent stops are usually quicker.

%Car's fast-charge speed

Car's fast-charge speed

Peak DC rate from the specs (or the charger's, if lower).

kWFast charging price

Fast charging price

Usually about 50–80c per kWh.

c/kWhHome power pricec/kWh

Petrol car

Highway fuel use

Use the highway (extra-urban) figure, often 5.5–8 L/100 km.

L/100kmPetrol price

Petrol price

Country prices are often higher.

$/LRange per tankkm

Results for 875 km

	EV	Petrol
Cost	$90	$114
Stops to charge / refuel	3	1
Time at stops	1 h 56 min	10 min

The EV saves about $24 and takes about 1 h 46 min longer at stops. Most drivers take a break every 2 hours anyway, which can cover charging.

Charging stops

By about km 268: add 39 kWh, about 39 min
By about km 474: add 39 kWh, about 39 min
By about km 679: add 37 kWh, about 38 min

Range: about 268 km from home, then about 205 km between stops. Plan actual chargers along your route in a charging app.

Charging time calculator

Estimate only. Real stops depend on where chargers are, queues, weather, speed, load and your car's charging curve. Includes about 10 minutes per stop to find, plug in and pay.

How it works

You leave home charged, drive until you reach your safety buffer, then fast-charge to your chosen level and repeat.
The last stop only adds what you need to arrive with your buffer.
Each stop includes about 10 minutes to find the charger, plug in and pay.

Tips for a smooth trip

Plan with a charging app and have a backup charger for each stop. Chargers can be broken, busy or slower than listed.
Holidays mean queues on popular routes. Charge early in the day or off the main highway.
Speed matters. 110 km/h uses noticeably more than 100 km/h. Towing, roof racks, headwinds and hills can add 20–40%.
Short, frequent stops (e.g. 10% to 70–80%) are usually faster than charging to 100%.
Remote areas can have long gaps between fast chargers. Keep a bigger buffer, and know where slower AC chargers are as a fallback.
Have accounts set up for the main charging networks before you leave, or a card that works at most chargers.
Stay overnight where you can charge: many motels and caravan parks have chargers.

See how long each charge takes in our EV charging time calculator.

Official sources

Green Vehicle Guide (Australian Government) — Battery size and energy use for each EV model.
Australian Institute of Petroleum — Pump prices — Weekly city and regional petrol prices.

Please check before you act

This information was last reviewed in November 2026 and may not be up to date.
Laws, government policies, limits and prices can change at any time, sometimes with little notice.
You are responsible for checking the latest official rules and government announcements (see the sources above) before you buy, sell, ride, drive or modify.
General information only, not legal, financial or professional advice. eRideList accepts no liability for decisions made using this tool.