Tesla Supercharger Cost Calculator (Price per kWh, California Rates)

How Supercharger pricing works

Tesla bills Supercharging by the kilowatt-hour (kWh) in most US states, including California. Each station sets its own price, and most stations have peak and off-peak rates: overnight and early morning sessions are usually 20–30% cheaper than afternoon and evening ones. The Tesla app shows the exact rate for a station before you arrive.

In mid-2026, California stations commonly charged roughly $0.50–$0.71 per kWh at peak and about $0.33–$0.49 per kWh overnight, which puts California among the most expensive states to Supercharge. Non-Tesla EVs pay more unless they buy a Supercharging membership.

How this calculator works

• Energy per mile comes from EPA-based estimates for each Tesla. Expect 10–30% more in cold weather or at sustained highway speed.
• A 10% → 80% session adds about 70% of the usable battery, the range where Superchargers charge fastest.
• Home charging adds about 10% for charging losses between the wall and the battery.
• Idle fees (charged when you stay plugged in after charging finishes at a busy station) are not included.

How to pay less at Superchargers

• Charge off-peak when you can — late night and early morning rates are the lowest.
• Stop at 80%. Charging slows sharply above that, and you pay for the time at busy sites.
• Precondition the battery by navigating to the Supercharger, so it charges at full speed.
• Charge at home for daily driving and keep Superchargers for road trips.