"How much will it cost me to charge?" is the first question most Pakistani drivers ask about EVs. The honest answer is that it depends a lot on where you charge. Charging at home is usually much cheaper than public fast charging, and in some cases fast charging costs about as much as petrol.
First, the units: kWh and kW
- kWh (kilowatt-hour) is an amount of energy. It is exactly the same as one "unit" on your electricity bill. Public chargers in Pakistan usually charge per kWh.
- kW (kilowatt) is a speed: how fast energy flows. A 7 kW home charger adds about 7 kWh in an hour, and a 120 kW fast charger can add far more, if your car accepts it.
- Battery size is given in kWh. A car with a 50 kWh battery holds about 50 units of energy when full.
- Efficiency tells you how much energy a car uses to travel 100 km. Many family EVs use roughly 16–18 kWh per 100 km in mixed driving. Highway speeds, heavy AC use and hills push this up.
Some energy is also lost as heat while charging. Our charging cost calculator assumes about 90% efficiency, which means you pay for roughly 10% more energy than ends up in the battery.
Example: 40 km a day
Let's say you drive 40 km a day, which is a typical city commute, in a car that uses 16–18 kWh per 100 km.
- Energy used: 40 km × 16–18 kWh ÷ 100 = 6.4–7.2 kWh per day
- Add charging losses (about 10%): that comes to roughly 7.1–8.0 units per day from the meter
- Per month (30 days): about 213–240 units
Now multiply those units by the price you pay.
Cost of charging at home
Our calculator's default home electricity price is around Rs 60 per unit. Your real rate depends on your DISCO (LESCO, K-Electric, IESCO, MEPCO and so on), your slab, your meter type and the taxes on your bill. Tariffs change often, so use your own bill as the guide.
At around Rs 60 per unit:
- Per day (40 km): about Rs 430–480
- Per month: about Rs 12,800–14,400
Watch your slab
An EV can add 200 or more units to your monthly bill. For many households, that can push you into a higher slab, or out of a lower-rate category, which raises the price of every unit you use. Before you buy, look at your last few bills and work out where the extra units would land. If you have a time-of-use meter, charging during off-peak hours may cost less. Check with your DISCO for the current rules.
Our home charging guide covers wall chargers, wiring and safety. If you have or are planning rooftop solar, the solar calculator shows how much daytime charging could save you.
Cost of public charging
ChargeNest shows the listed price per kWh on each station page. Across the DC fast chargers (50 kW and above) on our map that show a price, here is what we see as of November 2026:
- Full range: about Rs 70 to Rs 200 per kWh
- Most common: roughly 4 out of 5 listed prices fall between Rs 100 and Rs 130 per kWh
- Typical middle value: around Rs 110 per kWh
In the big cities, the lowest listed prices we see are roughly:
| City | Listed DC price range (per kWh) |
|---|---|
| Lahore | ~Rs 89–120 |
| Karachi | ~Rs 90–120 |
| Islamabad | ~Rs 110–125 |
Prices change, and some stations don't list a price at all, so always check the station page before you charge. Slow AC points at hotels and showrooms are not always cheaper. Some on our map are listed at Rs 100–150 per kWh, and one is higher.
For the same 40 km a day at around Rs 110 per kWh, public fast charging would cost about Rs 780–880 per day, or roughly Rs 23,500–26,400 a month. That is close to double the home cost.
Home vs public vs petrol: per 100 km
This table uses 17 kWh per 100 km plus about 10% charging losses, so roughly 19 units per 100 km.
| How you charge | Price assumed | Cost per 100 km (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Home, grid | ~Rs 60/unit | ~Rs 1,130 |
| Public AC | ~Rs 90/kWh | ~Rs 1,700 |
| Public DC, typical | ~Rs 110/kWh | ~Rs 2,080 |
| Public DC, higher end | ~Rs 130/kWh | ~Rs 2,460 |
What about petrol?
The comparison depends on the petrol price on the day, and that changes often. As a rough method, a petrol car doing about 12 km per litre uses around 8.3 litres per 100 km. Multiply that by today's price per litre. At, for example, Rs 265 a litre, that comes to about Rs 2,200 per 100 km.
The broad picture:
- Home charging often costs around half of what petrol does for the same distance.
- Public DC fast charging can cost about the same as petrol.
- EVs also tend to need less routine maintenance, since they need no oil changes, which adds to the savings over time.
Put in your own car, distance and prices with the charging cost calculator, or compare models side by side with compare.
Tips to keep charging costs low
- Charge at home overnight whenever you can, and use public fast chargers mainly for trips.
- Check the price before you plug in. It is shown on every ChargeNest station page that has one.
- Stop at about 80% on fast chargers. You pay the same per kWh, but charging slows down near full, so you spend more time for less energy.
- Drive smoothly. Moderate speeds and gentle braking (which lets regenerative braking recover energy) lower your kWh per 100 km.
- Use the map to find cheaper listed stations near your route.
FAQ
What does "per kWh" mean at a charging station?
It is the price for one kilowatt-hour of energy. That is the same as one unit on your electricity bill. If a station lists Rs 110 per kWh and you add 30 kWh, you pay about Rs 3,300 before any other fees.
How much does a full charge cost in Pakistan?
It depends on your battery size and where you charge. For example, charging a 50 kWh battery from 20% to 80% adds about 30 kWh. That costs roughly Rs 2,000 at home at around Rs 60 per unit (including losses), or about Rs 3,300 at a fast charger at Rs 110 per kWh.
How many units does an EV add to my electricity bill?
For 40 km a day in a car that uses 16–18 kWh per 100 km, expect roughly 210–240 extra units a month.
Why is fast charging more expensive than home charging?
Fast chargers cost a lot to buy, install and connect to the grid, and they are often on commercial electricity tariffs. You are paying for speed and convenience.
Is charging an EV cheaper than petrol?
Usually, yes, if you charge mostly at home. If you rely only on public fast chargers, the savings can be small. Check your own numbers with the charging cost calculator.