About ChargeCalcs

Who builds ChargeCalcs

ChargeCalcs is built and maintained by Dan Dadovic. My professional background is in commercial strategy and data analysis, and I am currently completing a PhD in IT Sciences. I drive an electric vehicle and have spent considerable time working through the real-world maths of charging costs, range estimates, and ownership economics — the kind of calculations that are straightforward once you know the formula but surprisingly hard to find done well online.

I am not an automotive engineer, an electrician, or a financial advisor. What I bring to this project is a rigorous approach to data: every formula on ChargeCalcs cites a published source, every vehicle specification traces back to manufacturer data or EPA test results, and every electricity rate references the relevant national regulator. Where I lack domain expertise, I defer to the source material rather than guessing.

Why this site exists

Most EV calculator tools online fall into two categories: oversimplified widgets that ignore the charging curve entirely, or manufacturer tools that only work with a single brand. ChargeCalcs exists to fill the gap between those extremes — offering calculators that model real charging behaviour (including the speed taper above 80% state of charge), work with any vehicle in the database, and show their working through step-by-step worked examples.

The site covers three pillars of EV ownership questions: charging (how long, how much, what charger), cost and ownership (EV vs petrol, total cost, tax credits, leasing), and range and trip planning (real-world range, road trips, battery degradation). Each calculator is built from a specific formula with a cited source, not from a proprietary algorithm.

How the calculators are built

Every calculator on ChargeCalcs follows a documented pipeline that prioritises accuracy and transparency. The process works in stages.

Formula research: Each calculator starts with identifying the correct formula from a published, verifiable source. For charging time, the formula comes from the SAE J1772 standard and Idaho National Laboratory testing data. For cost calculations, electricity rates come from the US Energy Information Administration and Ofgem. The formula source is cited on every calculator page and can be verified independently.

Vehicle and rate data: The vehicle database contains specifications for over 20 popular EV models across major manufacturers. Battery capacity, charging rates, and efficiency figures come from EPA Fuel Economy Guide data or manufacturer specification sheets. Electricity rates are sourced from the EIA (US), Ofgem (UK), provincial regulators (Canada), and the Australian Energy Regulator. Fuel prices come from AAA (US), RAC (UK), and equivalent national sources.

Known-value testing: Every calculate function is tested against worked examples with expected outputs verified by hand. The test suite runs automatically before every deployment. A primary scenario verifies all results, and at least one edge case (such as charging above 80% on DC fast, or a constrained electrical panel) confirms the formula handles boundary conditions correctly.

Quarterly review cycle: Vehicle data is reviewed quarterly as new model years launch and specifications change. Electricity and fuel rates are reviewed quarterly and flagged as stale after six months via an internal expiry date. When rates expire, the affected calculators are prioritised for data refresh. The content review date on each page records when it was last verified for accuracy.

Content quality standards: Educational content on each calculator page is written to a minimum word count (1,200 words for complex calculators, 800 for simpler tools) with unique structural approaches — no two pages follow the same template. A content language validator automatically scans for generic AI-generated phrases, and a similarity checker flags pages that are too structurally alike. Full details of the quality framework are documented on the methodology page.

Honest limitations

Calculator results are estimates based on average figures and simplified models. Real-world charging times, costs, and range depend on variables that no online tool can fully account for: ambient temperature, battery state of health, driving style, charger availability, and dozens of other factors. ChargeCalcs models the most significant variables (including the DC fast charging curve taper) but cannot replicate the precision of your vehicle's onboard computer.

Cost figures use average regional rates that may not match your specific electricity tariff or fuel prices. Financial calculations are not a substitute for advice from a qualified financial advisor. Vehicle specifications may lag behind mid-year updates from manufacturers. If you spot an error or outdated figure, please use the feedback form — corrections are prioritised.

Contact

For data subject requests, corrections, or general enquiries: contact@chargecalcs.com. Feedback on specific calculators can be submitted via the feedback button on any page.