EV charging cost in California
California's average residential electricity rate is 34.74¢ per kWh (EIA, 2026-06) — ranked #50 of 51 — pricier than most states, which makes home charging math matter even more.
Home rate
34.74¢/kWh
Typical EV (30 kWh/100mi)
$104/mo
at 1,000 miles/month
Same miles, 30 MPG gas
$103/mo
at $3.10/gal
What popular EVs cost to charge in California
Monthly cost at 1,000 miles/month. Home = 34.74¢/kWh. Public = 34.74¢ × 2.5 (typical DC fast-charging premium).
| Car | kWh/100mi | Home $/mi | Home $/mo | Public $/mo | vs gas $/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model Y | 24.4 | $0.085 | $85 | $212 | $19 saved |
| Tesla Model 3 | 24.2 | $0.084 | $84 | $210 | $19 saved |
| Tesla Cybertruck | 42.7 | $0.148 | $148 | $371 | -$45 saved |
| Tesla Model S | 27.2 | $0.094 | $94 | $236 | $9 saved |
| Tesla Model X | 32.1 | $0.112 | $112 | $279 | -$8 saved |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 31.5 | $0.109 | $109 | $274 | -$6 saved |
| Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD | 49.6 | $0.172 | $172 | $431 | -$69 saved |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV | 32.7 | $0.114 | $114 | $284 | -$10 saved |
| Chevrolet Blazer EV | 32.4 | $0.113 | $113 | $281 | -$9 saved |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV | 49.6 | $0.172 | $172 | $431 | -$69 saved |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 29.6 | $0.103 | $103 | $257 | $1 saved |
| Hyundai Ioniq 6 | 25.5 | $0.089 | $89 | $221 | $15 saved |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 29.1 | $0.101 | $101 | $253 | $2 saved |
| Kia EV6 | 29.6 | $0.103 | $103 | $257 | $1 saved |
| Kia EV9 | 37.9 | $0.132 | $132 | $329 | -$28 saved |
| Kia Niro Electric | 29.8 | $0.104 | $104 | $259 | -$0 saved |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 29.8 | $0.104 | $104 | $259 | -$0 saved |
| Nissan ARIYA | 33.4 | $0.116 | $116 | $290 | -$13 saved |
| Nissan LEAF | 27.9 | $0.097 | $97 | $242 | $6 saved |
| Toyota bZ4X | 28.3 | $0.098 | $98 | $246 | $5 saved |
| Honda Prologue | 32.4 | $0.113 | $113 | $281 | -$9 saved |
| Rivian R1T | 38.7 | $0.134 | $134 | $336 | -$31 saved |
| Rivian R1S | 39.6 | $0.138 | $138 | $344 | -$34 saved |
| Polestar 2 | 29.6 | $0.103 | $103 | $257 | $1 saved |
| Cadillac LYRIQ | 36.6 | $0.127 | $127 | $318 | -$24 saved |
| Subaru Solterra | 28.1 | $0.098 | $98 | $244 | $6 saved |
| BMW i4 eDrive40 Gran Coupe | 28.6 | $0.099 | $99 | $248 | $4 saved |
| BMW iX M60 | 43.8 | $0.152 | $152 | $380 | -$49 saved |
| Audi Q4 45 e-tron | 29.3 | $0.102 | $102 | $254 | $2 saved |
| Mercedes-Benz EQB 250 | 31.5 | $0.109 | $109 | $274 | -$6 saved |
| Volvo XC40 Recharge | 31.8 | $0.11 | $110 | $276 | -$7 saved |
| Volvo EX30 extended range | 29.1 | $0.101 | $101 | $253 | $2 saved |
| Porsche Macan 4 Electric | 35.5 | $0.123 | $123 | $308 | -$20 saved |
| Porsche Taycan 4 Battery | 38.7 | $0.134 | $134 | $336 | -$31 saved |
| Lucid Air Sapphire | 32.1 | $0.112 | $112 | $279 | -$8 saved |
California EV charging FAQ
Is California cheap or expensive for EV charging?
California ranks #50 of 51 (1 = cheapest). The national spread is wide: Nevada charges 13.11¢/kWh while Hawaii charges 52.72¢/kWh — about 4.0× more for the same miles.
How much does it cost to fully charge an EV in California?
From empty, a Tesla Model 3 (321 mi range, 24.2 kWh/100mi) costs about $27 to fully charge at home. A Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD costs $41.
Is charging cheaper than gas in California?
Yes — dramatically. At 34.74¢/kWh, a typical EV costs $0.104/mile at home vs about $0.103/mile for a 30 MPG gas car at $3.10/gal. That's roughly -$11 saved per year at 12,000 miles.