How much does it cost to charge an EV in California?
California's average residential electricity rate is 32.3¢/kWh over the 12 months to August 2026, 79% above the U.S. average of 18.0¢/kWh, and the 5th cheapest of the 5 states covered. The 12-month average is up 3.7% year over year.
Charging the EVs we track here costs from $7.86 per 100 miles (Tesla Model 3) to $13.86 (Rivian R1S), or $80 to $141 a month at 1,016 miles.
Regular gasoline averaged $5.05 a gallon (EIA California series), 40% above the U.S. average.
EVs ranked by cost to charge in California
| # | EV | kWh/100 mi | Full charge | Per 100 mi | Per month | vs gas / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model 32026 Standard RWD | 24.3 | $25.23 | $7.86 | $80 | −$965 |
| 2 | Tesla Model Y2026 Long Range AWD | 27.5 | $29.08 | $8.89 | $90 | −$968 |
| 3 | Nissan Leaf2026 75 kWh (18-in steel wheels) | 27.8 | $27.26 | $9.00 | $91 | −$889 |
| 4 | Hyundai Ioniq 52027 Standard Range | 29.0 | $22.98 | $9.38 | $95 | −$1,055 |
| 5 | Chevrolet Equinox EV2027 FWD | 31.1 | $32.06 | $10.05 | $102 | −$1,054 |
| 6 | Ford Mustang Mach-E2026 RWD | 31.4 | $26.43 | $10.17 | $103 | −$812 |
| 7 | Honda Prologue2026 FWD | 32.5 | $32.42 | $10.52 | $107 | −$1,648 |
| 8 | Cadillac Lyriq2027 RWD (11 kW charger) | 36.8 | $38.82 | $11.91 | $121 | −$1,349 |
| 9 | Kia EV92026 Standard Range RWD | 38.0 | $28.26 | $12.29 | $125 | −$1,300 |
| 10 | Rivian R1S2026 Dual Standard (20-in) | 42.9 | $35.77 | $13.86 | $141 | −$895 |
At 32.3¢/kWh, 1,016 mi/month. "vs gas" compares each EV with a comparable gas vehicle (see each page); − means the EV costs less.
California electricity price trend
Show monthly data
| Month | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 29.8¢/kWh | 18.2¢/kWh |
| Jul 2026 | 33.6¢/kWh | 18.3¢/kWh |
| Jun 2026 | 34.7¢/kWh | 18.4¢/kWh |
| May 2026 | 33.3¢/kWh | 18.4¢/kWh |
| Apr 2026 | 35.3¢/kWh | 18.9¢/kWh |
| Mar 2026 | 33.3¢/kWh | 18.6¢/kWh |
| Feb 2026 | 33.2¢/kWh | 17.6¢/kWh |
| Jan 2026 | 30.3¢/kWh | 17.4¢/kWh |
| Dec 2025 | 29.9¢/kWh | 17.1¢/kWh |
| Nov 2025 | 32.0¢/kWh | 17.8¢/kWh |
| Oct 2025 | 33.6¢/kWh | 17.9¢/kWh |
| Sep 2025 | 31.9¢/kWh | 18.1¢/kWh |
| Aug 2025 | 30.9¢/kWh | 17.6¢/kWh |
| Jul 2025 | 31.7¢/kWh | 17.4¢/kWh |
| Jun 2025 | 32.4¢/kWh | 17.4¢/kWh |
| May 2025 | 32.5¢/kWh | 17.3¢/kWh |
| Apr 2025 | 27.8¢/kWh | 17.2¢/kWh |
| Mar 2025 | 31.6¢/kWh | 17.0¢/kWh |
| Feb 2025 | 31.6¢/kWh | 16.4¢/kWh |
| Jan 2025 | 30.1¢/kWh | 15.9¢/kWh |
| Dec 2024 | 30.6¢/kWh | 16.3¢/kWh |
| Nov 2024 | 30.2¢/kWh | 16.9¢/kWh |
| Oct 2024 | 32.5¢/kWh | 17.1¢/kWh |
| Sep 2024 | 31.8¢/kWh | 16.8¢/kWh |