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How much does it cost to run an electric car?
At the U.S. average residential price of 18.16¢ per kilowatt-hour (August 2026), running an electric car costs about $690 a year. Your own bill depends on your state's rate, which ranges from 12.72¢ to 47.18¢ across the country.
- Per day
- $1.89
- Per month
- $57.51
- Per year
- $690
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 | 12.72¢ | $40.28 | $483 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | $40.75 | $489 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | $42.15 | $506 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $42.15 | $506 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $42.34 | $508 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $42.50 | $510 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | $42.88 | $515 |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $43.70 | $524 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $45.50 | $546 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $45.69 | $548 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $45.69 | $548 |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $46.33 | $556 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | $46.93 | $563 |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $47.34 | $568 |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | $47.47 | $570 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $47.66 | $572 |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $47.97 | $576 |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $48.99 | $588 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $49.30 | $592 |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $49.91 | $599 |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $50.35 | $604 |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | $50.38 | $605 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $50.41 | $605 |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $50.73 | $609 |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $51.65 | $620 |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $51.71 | $621 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $52.28 | $627 |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $53.90 | $647 |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $54.02 | $648 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $54.37 | $652 |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $54.47 | $654 |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $55.86 | $670 |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $59.22 | $711 |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $61.18 | $734 |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | $61.37 | $736 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $61.46 | $738 |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $67.77 | $813 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $68.94 | $827 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $72.80 | $874 |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $75.49 | $906 |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $77.61 | $931 |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $77.93 | $935 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $82.27 | $987 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $87.53 | $1,050 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $89.24 | $1,071 |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $90.72 | $1,089 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $93.13 | $1,118 |
| California | 29.75¢ | $94.21 | $1,130 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $96.52 | $1,158 |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | $102 | $1,220 |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $149 | $1,793 |
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 $57.51 a month at the U.S. average rate, or $690 a year.
- Where is it cheapest to run?
- Nevada, at $483 a year, versus $1,793 in Hawaii — a spread of $1,309.