Cost to charge an EV at home 2026: cents per mile by state

For a typical 30 kWh per 100 miles EV, home charging costs about 4 to 6 cents per mile on standard residential rates in most states and 2 to 4 cents per mile on TOU off-peak rates. Across the US, that is roughly 2 to 4 times cheaper per mile than gasoline at $4.25 per gallon and 30 mpg. This page provides per-state cost-per-mile tables and the practical context for getting the cheapest home charging in your state.

Per-state cost per mile at standard residential rate

EV vs gasoline: the per-mile comparison

Gasoline at $4.25 per gallon and 30 mpg costs 14.2 cents per mile. Gasoline at $3.20 per gallon (cheaper-state average) and 30 mpg costs 10.7 cents per mile. EV charging at home on the US national average rate costs 5.4 cents per mile, about 38 to 50 percent of the gasoline cost. EV charging on a TOU off-peak rate costs 2 to 4 cents per mile, about 15 to 30 percent of the gasoline cost.

For a household driving 12,000 miles per year, gasoline at $4.25 per gallon costs $1,700. EV home charging on standard rate costs $650 to $700. EV home charging on TOU off-peak costs $250 to $450. The annual fuel saving for switching from a 30 mpg gas car to a 30 kWh per 100 mi EV is $1,000 to $1,450. Over a 10-year ownership period at rate-stable electricity prices, that is $10,000 to $14,500; with rate inflation it is closer to $12,000 to $17,500. EV upfront cost premium has narrowed substantially in 2025 and 2026 as battery prices fell, so the lifetime cost-of-ownership case for EVs has become straightforward in most states.

Level 1 vs Level 2 home charging

Level 1 charging uses a standard 120V household outlet. The adapter ships with every new EV (sometimes called a "trickle charger" or "occasional use cable"). Level 1 delivers about 1.4 kW at 12 amps, which adds 4 to 5 miles of range per hour. For a household with a single short commute (under 30 miles per day), Level 1 is genuinely sufficient: 8 hours of overnight charging adds 35 to 40 miles of range, comfortably more than the daily commute. The trade-off: any longer drive on a given day will not be replenished overnight, so the car gradually loses range across a busy week.

Level 2 charging uses a 240V circuit (the same voltage as an electric dryer or oven). The charging station is permanently installed by an electrician; current ranges from 16 amps (3.8 kW, about 12 miles per hour) to 48 amps (11.5 kW, about 38 miles per hour). The 32 amp / 7.7 kW configuration is the most common: it works on a standard 40 amp circuit, costs less to install than higher-amp configurations, and adds 25 to 28 miles per hour, comfortably enough to replenish even long drive days overnight. Installation total runs $1,200 to $2,500 depending on panel distance and capacity. The federal 30 percent charger tax credit (Section 30C, Form 8911) for installs in eligible census tracts expired for property placed in service after 30 June 2026, so it no longer applies to a new install; state and utility rebates may still be available.

TOU off-peak strategy

Almost every US utility now offers an opt-in residential TOU plan with overnight off-peak rates 30 to 60 percent below the standard rate. For EV households, the math is clear: schedule charging to start at the off-peak window (typically midnight) and the per-mile cost drops by the same 30 to 60 percent. PG&E EV2-A off-peak is about 31 cents, vs 51 cents on the legacy E-1 plan; that is a 39 percent saving on every kWh charged off-peak. ConEd Plug-In NYC off-peak is about 12 cents, vs 27 cents on the standard rate; a 56 percent saving.

Use the vehicle app or charger schedule to delay the actual charging start until the off-peak window begins. Every modern EV from Tesla, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Rivian and others supports this in the vehicle's own app; no smart charger required. If you prefer charger-side scheduling, the Tesla Wall Connector, Wallbox Pulsar Plus, ChargePoint Home Flex, Emporia EV Charger and Enphase EV Charger all support time-based scheduling and integration with home solar or smart energy management systems.

Charging losses and the EPA window-sticker number

The EPA window-sticker MPGe and kWh-per-100-miles figures are measured at the wall, not at the battery. About 10 to 15 percent of the kWh drawn at the wall is lost to AC-to-DC conversion, battery management cooling and warming, and a small standby draw while the car is plugged in. This means the cost-per-mile figures in this guide accurately reflect what hits your electricity bill; they are not understated by ignoring losses. The 30 kWh per 100 miles figure for a Tesla Model 3 RWD is the at-the-wall consumption, not the in-battery consumption.

Charging losses are larger at Level 1 than Level 2 (typically 15 percent vs 11 percent) because Level 1 draws more standby for less effective charging. Cold-weather charging losses are larger (up to 25 percent in subzero temperatures) because the battery has to warm itself to accept the charge. Hot-weather losses are also slightly larger due to cooling demand. For most households in moderate climates, the effective annual average is about 12 percent loss, which is already baked into the EPA-rated efficiency figures.

Sources and further reading

• EPA fueleconomy.gov (EV kWh-per-100mi)
• DOE EV charging guide
• IRS Form 8911 (EV charger tax credit)
• EV charging cost overview
• EV TOU rate plans
• Electricity rates by state
• PG&E rates (EV2-A context)
• How we source these numbers

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