Sources & Methodology

ChargeEstimateKit uses straightforward calculator formulas with values entered by the user. The calculators are meant for educational and planning estimates, not guaranteed billing, safety, installation, or vehicle-specific results.

Pricing data is entered by the user. The current version does not use a live station price feed and does not include a country, city, or charging-network price database. For cost estimates, use the current price shown by your utility bill, charging app, station screen, or electricity plan.

The reference links below support general charging terminology, charging levels, home and public charging context, and the reality that electricity prices vary by location, provider, fuel costs, infrastructure, demand, taxes, and other local factors. They are background references for user understanding, not live data feeds used by the calculators.

Data policy

ChargeEstimateKit does not use a live price feed, utility tariff database, vehicle specification database, or charging network database. Users should enter the rate shown by a utility bill, charging app, station screen, vehicle dashboard, or electricity plan.

Source scope

Reference links are used for general charging terminology and background. Some references are U.S.-focused, including DOE AFDC and EIA pages. Manufacturer pages are included only as examples of vehicle-specific charging documentation; they are not a complete vehicle database. The calculators can still be used internationally because users enter their own rates, units, and efficiency values.

Review schedule

The target review cadence is quarterly or when a major reference, formula, charging convention, or safety boundary changes. Each reference below includes the date its page and intended use were last checked. A checked date means the link and relevant context were reviewed; it does not turn a reference into a live data feed.

How sources are used

• Government references support broad charging terminology, infrastructure context, and price variability.
• Manufacturer references illustrate where to verify vehicle-specific limits and charging behavior.
• Calculator formulas remain visible on each page and use the values entered by the user.
• Examples are tested as simulations and are not presented as personal charging records or current market prices.

What these calculators do not do

• They do not provide billing guarantees.
• They do not check live station prices.
• They do not select breaker size.
• They do not approve wiring, permits, installation, load calculations, or code compliance.
• They do not verify vehicle-specific charging limits.

Core formulas

• EV Charging Time: energy needed (kWh) = battery capacity (kWh) x (target % - current %) / 100
• EV Charging Time: charging hours = energy needed (kWh) / (charger power (kW) x efficiency)
• EV Charging Cost: wall energy (kWh) = energy added (kWh) / efficiency
• EV Charging Cost: cost = wall energy (kWh) x electricity price per kWh + session fee
• Home vs Public Cost: session cost = energy added / efficiency x price per kWh + fixed fees
• Home vs Public Cost: monthly mix cost = monthly wall energy split by home and public charging share
• kWh to Range: range = available energy x vehicle efficiency
• kWh to Range: planning range = range after reserve and condition buffer
• kWh to Range: trip surplus or shortfall = planning range - planned trip distance
• Charger Power: single-phase kW = volts x amps x power factor / 1000
• Charger Power: three-phase kW = volts x amps x sqrt(3) x power factor / 1000
• Battery Charging Time: Wh = volts x Ah
• Battery Charging Time: Wh = volts x mAh / 1000
• Battery Charging Time: charging hours = battery Wh / (charger W x efficiency)

Reference library

Charging fundamentals

• U.S. Department of Energy AFDC: Electricity Basics
  Background for EV energy, charging terminology, and the difference between vehicle and grid energy.
  Source checked: 2026-07-17
• U.S. Department of Energy AFDC: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
  Background for charging categories, station context, and equipment terminology.
  Source checked: 2026-07-17

Home and public charging

• U.S. Department of Energy AFDC: Charging Electric Vehicles at Home
  Context for overnight home charging, equipment decisions, and qualified electrical assessment.
  Source checked: 2026-07-17
• U.S. Department of Energy AFDC: Charging Electric Vehicles in Public
  Context for public Level 2 and DC fast charging use cases and site-dependent infrastructure.
  Source checked: 2026-07-17

Electricity pricing

• U.S. Energy Information Administration: Electricity Prices and Factors
  Background for why electricity prices vary; calculator prices still come from the user.
  Source checked: 2026-07-17

Vehicle-specific examples

• Tesla Support: Supercharging
  Example of official manufacturer guidance on charging rate, temperature, state of charge, and trip charging.
  Source checked: 2026-07-17
• Ford: Mustang Mach-E Official Vehicle Page
  Example of an official vehicle page to cross-check model-specific specifications and documentation.
  Source checked: 2026-07-17

Validation and corrections

Published examples are checked against the displayed formulas and representative inputs on the Validation Test Cases page. If a source moves, a formula result changes, or a safety boundary is unclear, send the page URL and supporting reference through the Contact page. A correction is reviewed before the content date is updated.