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How much does it cost to run an electric car?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour (June 2026), running an electric car costs about $697 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 13.11¢ to 52.72¢ across the country.
- Per day
- $1.91
- Per month
- $58.08
- Per year
- $697
Assumption: 3,800 kWh a year. 12,000 miles a year at roughly 3.5 miles per kWh, plus about 10% charging losses, on home Level 2 charging.
Cost by state
Same appliance, same usage, 51 different prices. Sorted cheapest first.
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 13.11¢ | $41.51 | $498 |
| Nebraska | 13.25¢ | $41.96 | $504 |
| Utah | 13.37¢ | $42.34 | $508 |
| Louisiana | 13.49¢ | $42.72 | $513 |
| Tennessee | 14.07¢ | $44.55 | $535 |
| North Dakota | 14.12¢ | $44.71 | $537 |
| Arkansas | 14.12¢ | $44.71 | $537 |
| Kentucky | 14.26¢ | $45.16 | $542 |
| Oklahoma | 14.33¢ | $45.38 | $545 |
| Idaho | 14.37¢ | $45.50 | $546 |
| North Carolina | 14.74¢ | $46.68 | $560 |
| Mississippi | 14.88¢ | $47.12 | $565 |
| Washington | 14.91¢ | $47.22 | $567 |
| New Mexico | 15.06¢ | $47.69 | $572 |
| Florida | 15.10¢ | $47.82 | $574 |
| Montana | 15.14¢ | $47.94 | $575 |
| Arizona | 15.18¢ | $48.07 | $577 |
| Wyoming | 15.24¢ | $48.26 | $579 |
| South Dakota | 15.36¢ | $48.64 | $584 |
| West Virginia | 15.45¢ | $48.93 | $587 |
| South Carolina | 15.55¢ | $49.24 | $591 |
| Kansas | 15.71¢ | $49.75 | $597 |
| Iowa | 15.93¢ | $50.45 | $605 |
| Texas | 15.94¢ | $50.48 | $606 |
| Missouri | 16.22¢ | $51.36 | $616 |
| Oregon | 16.32¢ | $51.68 | $620 |
| Georgia | 16.36¢ | $51.81 | $622 |
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $51.93 | $623 |
| Colorado | 17.13¢ | $54.24 | $651 |
| Virginia | 17.22¢ | $54.53 | $654 |
| Indiana | 17.51¢ | $55.45 | $665 |
| Minnesota | 17.52¢ | $55.48 | $666 |
| Ohio | 19.19¢ | $60.77 | $729 |
| Delaware | 19.29¢ | $61.09 | $733 |
| Wisconsin | 19.56¢ | $61.94 | $743 |
| Illinois | 19.89¢ | $62.98 | $756 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.73¢ | $68.81 | $826 |
| Maryland | 21.84¢ | $69.16 | $830 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $72.80 | $874 |
| Connecticut | 24.32¢ | $77.01 | $924 |
| District of Columbia | 24.39¢ | $77.23 | $927 |
| Vermont | 24.44¢ | $77.39 | $929 |
| New Jersey | 24.95¢ | $79.01 | $948 |
| New Hampshire | 27.01¢ | $85.53 | $1,026 |
| Alaska | 28.21¢ | $89.33 | $1,072 |
| Rhode Island | 29.23¢ | $92.56 | $1,111 |
| New York | 29.49¢ | $93.38 | $1,121 |
| Maine | 29.59¢ | $93.70 | $1,124 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61¢ | $93.76 | $1,125 |
| California | 34.74¢ | $110 | $1,320 |
| Hawaii | 52.72¢ | $167 | $2,003 |
Cutting the number down
- Charging on an off-peak or EV rate plan is usually the single largest lever, and it costs nothing but a schedule setting.
- Charging losses are real: the meter sees noticeably more than the battery receives, especially in cold weather.
- Cost per mile, not cost per charge, is the number that compares cleanly against a tank of gasoline.
Questions
- How many watts does an electric car use?
- Usage is better expressed as 3,800 kWh a year.
- How much does an electric car cost per month?
- About $58.08 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $697 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $498 a year, versus $2,003 in Hawaii — a spread of $1,505.