EV charging cost in California
Home electricity in California averages 29.75¢ per kWh. That ranks #48 of 51, one of the most expensive states to charge at home. A typical EV costs $94 a month to charge at home for 1,000 miles. The same miles in a 30 MPG car cost $200 in gas.
Gas is down 14.2¢ since last week. Prices for the week of October 26, 2026.
What popular EVs cost to charge in California
Per month at 1,000 miles. Fast chargers are estimated at 2.5× the home rate. Gas is $6.00/gal (state average, week of 2026-10-26) in a 30 MPG car.
| Car | kWh per 100 mi | Per mile | Home | Fast chargers | Saved vs gas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model Y | 24.4 | $0.073 | $73 | $181 | $128 |
| Tesla Model 3 | 24.2 | $0.072 | $72 | $180 | $128 |
| Tesla Cybertruck | 42.7 | $0.127 | $127 | $318 | $73 |
| Tesla Model S | 27.2 | $0.081 | $81 | $202 | $119 |
| Tesla Model X | 32.1 | $0.095 | $95 | $239 | $105 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 31.5 | $0.094 | $94 | $234 | $106 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD | 49.6 | $0.148 | $148 | $369 | $53 |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV | 31.2 | $0.093 | $93 | $232 | $107 |
| Chevrolet Blazer EV | 32.4 | $0.096 | $96 | $241 | $104 |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV | 49.6 | $0.148 | $148 | $369 | $53 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 29.6 | $0.088 | $88 | $220 | $112 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 6 | 25.5 | $0.076 | $76 | $190 | $124 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 29.1 | $0.087 | $87 | $216 | $114 |
| Kia EV6 | 29.6 | $0.088 | $88 | $220 | $112 |
| Kia EV9 | 37.9 | $0.113 | $113 | $282 | $87 |
| Kia Niro Electric | 29.8 | $0.089 | $89 | $222 | $111 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 29.8 | $0.089 | $89 | $222 | $111 |
| Nissan ARIYA | 33.4 | $0.099 | $99 | $248 | $101 |
| Nissan LEAF | 27.9 | $0.083 | $83 | $208 | $117 |
| Toyota bZ4X | 28.3 | $0.084 | $84 | $210 | $116 |
| Honda Prologue | 32.4 | $0.096 | $96 | $241 | $104 |
| Rivian R1T | 38.7 | $0.115 | $115 | $288 | $85 |
| Rivian R1S | 39.6 | $0.118 | $118 | $295 | $82 |
| Polestar 2 | 29.6 | $0.088 | $88 | $220 | $112 |
| Cadillac LYRIQ | 36.6 | $0.109 | $109 | $272 | $91 |
| Subaru Solterra | 28.1 | $0.084 | $84 | $209 | $117 |
| BMW i4 eDrive40 Gran Coupe | 28.6 | $0.085 | $85 | $213 | $115 |
| BMW iX M60 | 43.8 | $0.130 | $130 | $326 | $70 |
| Audi Q4 45 e-tron | 29.3 | $0.087 | $87 | $218 | $113 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQB 250 | 31.5 | $0.094 | $94 | $234 | $106 |
| Volvo XC40 Recharge | 31.8 | $0.095 | $95 | $237 | $105 |
| Volvo EX30 extended range | 29.1 | $0.087 | $87 | $216 | $114 |
| Porsche Macan 4 Electric | 35.5 | $0.106 | $106 | $264 | $94 |
| Porsche Taycan 4 Battery | 38.7 | $0.115 | $115 | $288 | $85 |
| Lucid Air Sapphire | 32.1 | $0.095 | $95 | $239 | $105 |
Questions about charging in California
Is California cheap or expensive for EV charging?
California ranks #48 of 51, where 1 is the cheapest. The spread between states is wide: Nevada pays 12.72¢/kWh and Hawaii pays 47.18¢/kWh, about 3.7 times 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 of range) costs about $23 to charge fully at home. A Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD costs about $35.
Is charging cheaper than gas in California?
Yes. At 29.75¢/kWh a typical EV costs $0.094 per mile at home. A 30 MPG car at $6.00/gal costs $0.200 per mile. Over 12,000 miles a year the difference is $1,277.