Charging an EV at home is cheaper than gas almost everywhere in the US. How much cheaper depends a lot more on your state than on your car.
I put together the numbers for every state using June 2026 residential electricity prices (U.S. EIA) and late-September gas prices (AAA state averages).
Assumptions: an EV using 30 kWh per 100 miles, plus 10% charging losses; a gas car doing 28 mpg; 12,000 miles a year. A "full charge" means 75 kWh, about a typical mid-size EV battery.
The cheapest and most expensive states for a full charge
| State | Electricity | Full charge (75 kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 13.11¢/kWh | $10.82 |
| Nebraska | 13.25¢/kWh | $10.93 |
| Utah | 13.37¢/kWh | $11.03 |
| Louisiana | 13.49¢/kWh | $11.13 |
| Tennessee | 14.07¢/kWh | $11.61 |
| … | ||
| New York | 29.49¢/kWh | $24.33 |
| Maine | 29.59¢/kWh | $24.41 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61¢/kWh | $24.43 |
| California | 34.74¢/kWh | $28.66 |
| Hawaii | 52.72¢/kWh | $43.49 |
That's a 4x spread for the same battery. The same 300 miles is about $11 in Nevada and $43 in Hawaii.
What you actually save vs gas, per year (12,000 miles)
| State | EV / year | Gas car / year | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $516 | $2,352 | $1,836 |
| Washington | $588 | $2,364 | $1,776 |
| Utah | $528 | $2,136 | $1,608 |
| Idaho | $564 | $2,136 | $1,572 |
| Oregon | $648 | $2,172 | $1,524 |
| California | $1,380 | $2,736 | $1,356 |
| Texas | $636 | $1,668 | $1,032 |
| New York | $1,164 | $1,920 | $756 |
| Massachusetts | $1,176 | $1,884 | $708 |
| Hawaii | $2,088 | $2,400 | $312 |
Three things that stand out
- California has the second-priciest electricity, but still saves well above Texas. Gas there is $6.38/gal, so the EV comes out about $1,356 a year ahead. Texas has cheap power, but gas is $3.90, so the gap is smaller.
- The West wins. Nevada, Washington, Utah, Idaho and Oregon have cheap electricity and expensive gas, the best combo for an EV.
- New England and Hawaii save the least. Expensive electricity eats most of the gain. Hawaii still saves money, just not much.
Ways to beat these numbers
- Time-of-use rates. Many utilities sell overnight power for a fraction of the daytime price. Charging after midnight can cut the costs above by a third or more.
- Avoid fast chargers for daily driving. DC fast charging often costs 2 to 4 times home rates.
- Your efficiency matters. A big SUV EV at 40 kWh/100 mi costs about a third more per mile than the 30 kWh/100 mi used here. Winter adds more.
Check your own numbers
The full 50-state + DC table, with gas comparisons, is here: https://evchargingcalc.com/states/ (disclosure: I made it). You can plug in your own rate, car and mileage there.
Sources: U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly (residential, June 2026); AAA state average regular gasoline (Sep 29, 2026).
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