Free EV Battery Cost per kWh calculator with clear step-by-step results.
Pack price divided by nameplate capacity is the headline figure, but it flatters the pack twice - by counting buffer capacity you can never use, and by ignoring how many kilowatt-hours it will actually deliver before retirement. Averaging capacity between new and end-of-life gives lifetime throughput and a levelised capital cost.
Cost per usable kWh
Cost = pack price / (nameplate capacity x usable share)
Lifetime throughput
kWh = usable capacity x (1 + end-of-life retention) / 2 x rated cycles
Manufacturers reserve a buffer at both ends of the state-of-charge range to protect cycle life and to hide early degradation from the driver. Buffers of 5-10% are normal.
It is the capital component of the cost of storing energy, which is the right basis for comparing packs with different chemistries and cycle lives. Add electricity and efficiency losses for a full storage cost.