Cost to Charge an EV at Home, by State

By Sam Whitaker · Updated 2026-09-28

How we research, cite and correct our guides

Home charging cost per 100 miles is the car’s kWh per 100 miles multiplied by your price per kWh. At the July 2026 U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kWh (EIA), an EV that uses 30 kWh per 100 miles costs $5.49 per 100 miles, or $54.93 per 1,000 miles. By state, the same car costs from $3.82 per 100 miles in Louisiana to $14.40 in Hawaii. A 30 mpg gasoline car cost $14.93 per 100 miles at EIA’s U.S. regular gasoline price of $4.478 a gallon for the week of September 21, 2026.

The 30 kWh per 100 miles is a round example efficiency, not a specific vehicle; the five 2026 models below are rated between 25 and 31. Cost per 100 miles = 30 kWh × the state price, and cost per 1,000 miles = 300 kWh × the state price, each rounded to the cent. For another car, multiply the state figure by your EV’s kWh per 100 miles ÷ 30.

Cheapest and most expensive states for home charging

• Lowest, July 2026: Louisiana $3.82 per 100 miles (12.72¢), Nevada $3.83 (12.77¢), Utah $3.94 (13.12¢)
• Highest, July 2026: Hawaii $14.40 per 100 miles (48.00¢), California $10.08 (33.61¢), Maine $9.72 (32.41¢)

Hawaii’s figure is still below the $14.93 cost of a 30 mpg car at the U.S. average gasoline price. EIA’s weekly gasoline table lists only nine states and Hawaii is not one of them, so a Hawaii-only gasoline comparison is n/a here.

EPA kWh per 100 miles for five 2026 EVs

Ratings are the combined city/highway values on each model’s fueleconomy.gov page (listed in Sources, retrieved September 2026), which the site displays rounded to whole kWh; the costs use those rounded figures. Other trims of the same model can carry different ratings.

Example: a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD charged in Texas: 25 kWh × $0.1588 = $3.97 per 100 miles. Scaling the state table gives the same answer: $4.76 × 25 ÷ 30 = $3.97.

Example: a Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD driven 1,200 miles a month in Georgia: 1,200 ÷ 100 × 31 = 372 kWh; 372 × $0.1627 = $60.52 a month. The same miles in a 30 mpg car at the U.S. gasoline price: 1,200 ÷ 30 = 40 gallons; 40 × $4.478 = $179.12.

Does EPA’s kWh per 100 miles include charging losses?

Yes. EPA states that its MPGe values include charging losses: they assume Level 2 AC charging and account for energy lost in the charging cable (the EVSE) and the car’s on-board charger, which moves the measurement from the vehicle to the wall outlet, where the electricity is billed. The label’s kWh per 100 miles is the same energy stated per 100 miles instead of as MPGe; with EPA’s 33.7 kWh per gallon equivalent, 3,370 ÷ 123 MPGe = 27.4, which fueleconomy.gov shows as 27 kWh per 100 miles for the Model Y above. Adding charging losses on top of the label figure would count them twice.

If a consumption number measures energy leaving the battery rather than energy from the wall, convert it first. The data notes on fueleconomy.gov’s all-electric vehicle page put battery charging efficiency at often 84% to 93%.

Example: 27 kWh from the battery per 100 miles ÷ 0.93 = 29.0 kWh from the wall; 27 ÷ 0.84 = 32.1 kWh from the wall.

EPA’s figures assume Level 2 charging, so a household that charges only from a 120-volt Level 1 cord is outside the tested setup.

Gasoline comparison for the week of September 21, 2026

EIA’s weekly survey put the U.S. average retail price of regular gasoline, taxes included, at $4.478 a gallon for the week of September 21, 2026.

Example: a 30 mpg car: 100 miles ÷ 30 mpg = 3.333 gallons; 3.333 × $4.478 = $14.93 per 100 miles, or 33.333 gallons × $4.478 = $149.27 per 1,000 miles. An EV at 30 kWh per 100 miles costs $5.49 and $54.93 at the U.S. average electricity price.

The break-even electricity price for that comparison is $14.93 ÷ 30 kWh = 49.8¢ per kWh. Every state’s July 2026 average was below it; Hawaii, at 48.00¢, came closest.

For the nine states in EIA’s weekly table:

Gasoline prices are for one week in September 2026 and electricity prices are July 2026 monthly averages, so the columns describe different periods. For states not in EIA’s weekly table, the gasoline figure is n/a.

Example: 15,000 miles a year, the annual mileage EPA uses on its labels, at the U.S. averages above: electricity 15,000 ÷ 100 × 30 = 4,500 kWh; 4,500 × $0.1831 = $823.95. Gasoline 15,000 ÷ 30 = 500 gallons; 500 × $4.478 = $2,239.00. The difference is $1,415.05, a snapshot that moves as both prices change.

Time-of-use and EV rate plans

EIA’s state figure averages all residential customers across the whole month, and EIA notes it is not a utility rate; rates can depend on how much electricity is used and when. DOE’s Alternative Fuels Data Center notes that home charging cost depends on the equipment and the time of day, and that some utilities offer residential time-of-use rates or other rate incentives to owners of charging equipment. The Annual Technology Baseline adds that EVs are often charged on time-of-use rates that discount certain hours, usually at night. On such a plan, put the off-peak price per kWh from your tariff into the same formula. For state price context, see electricity rates by state and average electric bill by state.

Public DC fast charging costs more than home charging

The table covers home charging only; public stations set their own prices, which are not part of EIA’s residential data. The 2022 Annual Technology Baseline priced DC fast charging at 27¢ per kWh, citing a 2020 National Renewable Energy Laboratory study (Borlaug et al.), against a 12.9¢ residential rate from 2020 EIA data, about 2.1 times as much. Station prices now differ from that 2020-based estimate, so use the posted price per kWh in the formula.

Cold and hot weather raise kWh per mile

In cold-weather results summarized by fueleconomy.gov, an EV’s fuel economy at 20°F can drop roughly 39% in mixed city and highway driving, and about two-thirds of the extra energy goes to heating the cabin; with the heater off, fuel economy is about 8% lower at 20°F than at 75°F.

Example: 30 kWh per 100 miles with a 39% drop in miles per kWh: 30 ÷ 0.61 = 49.18 kWh per 100 miles; 49.18 × $0.1831 = $9.00 per 100 miles, compared with $5.49.

In hot weather, fueleconomy.gov notes that air conditioning is the main cause of lower fuel economy and that its effect on EVs can be larger in percentage terms than on gasoline cars. It also notes that preheating or precooling the cabin while the car is plugged in can extend range. EPA adjusts its label values for real-world factors including cold temperatures and air conditioning, most often with a 0.7 factor, so the label figure already reflects some of this.

Data periods and method

• Electricity: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A, residential sector, July 2026, which EIA labels preliminary estimates. The figures are average revenue per kWh, including generation, transmission, distribution, taxes and fees.
• Formula: cost per 100 miles = kWh per 100 miles × price per kWh; cost per 1,000 miles = 10 × that, computed before rounding to the cent.
• EV efficiency: 2026 model-year EPA combined kWh per 100 miles from fueleconomy.gov, retrieved September 2026.
• Gasoline: EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, regular grade, week of September 21, 2026, taxes included.

The same kWh × price method for household appliances is in what it costs to run an appliance.

These are general-information estimates, not professional advice.

Sources

• U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A: Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, July 2026 and 2025
• EIA, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (week of September 21, 2026)
• EIA FAQ: Does EIA publish electricity sales and price data by state and by utility?
• fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD
• fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD
• fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD
• fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD
• fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD
• fueleconomy.gov: Learn More About the Fuel Economy Label for Electric Vehicles
• U.S. EPA: Fuel Economy and EV Range Testing
• fueleconomy.gov: All-Electric Vehicles (data sources on charging efficiency)
• fueleconomy.gov: Fuel Economy in Cold Weather
• fueleconomy.gov: Fuel Economy in Hot Weather
• U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center: Charging Electric Vehicles at Home
• Annual Technology Baseline 2022, Transportation: Electricity