By EV Charge Cost Editorial Team. Published September 28, 2026, updated October 26, 2026.
California has some of the highest electricity prices in the country and some of the highest gasoline prices too. Those two facts pull in opposite directions for EV owners, which is why the headline electricity price alone is misleading.
California's electricity price in context
At 29.75¢/kWh, California ranks 48 of 51 (1 = cheapest). Only Massachusetts, Maine and Hawaii were more expensive in August 2026. Across the 13 months we track (August 2025 to August 2026), the state average ranged from 29.75¢/kWh in August 2026 to 35.29¢/kWh in April 2026.
Home charging a typical EV in California costs about $112.12 a month for 13,500 miles a year, or $1,345 a year. At the U.S. average it would be $821.
Why California electricity costs more
- Wildfire mitigation and grid hardening. Utilities have spent heavily on clearing vegetation, strengthening and in places burying lines, and on wildfire-related costs. Those costs are recovered through rates.
- Transmission and distribution. A large, spread-out network serving both dense cities and remote areas is costly to build and maintain.
- Policy costs. Public-purpose programs and the state's clean-energy goals are partly funded through electricity bills.
- Natural gas prices. Gas-fired plants still set the price at many hours, so regional gas prices feed into power costs.
The state average also blends very different utilities. Large investor-owned utilities and municipal utilities can charge very different rates, so a Californian's real price may sit far from 29.75¢/kWh. Check your own bill; here is how.
EV vs gas in California
EIA's weekly California gasoline average was $6.03 a gallon (week of 2026-10-19), against $4.28 nationally. At 13,500 miles a year, a 30 mpg car burns about $2,714 of fuel in California. The EV charged at the state average costs $1,345, a saving of $1,369 a year.
For comparison, the same two cars at national average prices differ by $1,107 a year, so California's expensive gasoline more than offsets its expensive electricity. The break-even electricity price against a 30 mpg car on California gas is 60.01¢/kWh, 30.3¢ above the state average.
| EV efficiency | Per 100 miles | Per year | Vs 30 mpg gas car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25.0 kWh/100 mi | $7.44 | $1,004 | saves $1,710 |
| 30.0 kWh/100 mi | $8.92 | $1,205 | saves $1,509 |
| 33.5 kWh/100 mi (typical) | $9.97 | $1,345 | saves $1,369 |
| 40.0 kWh/100 mi | $11.90 | $1,607 | saves $1,107 |
| 45.0 kWh/100 mi | $13.39 | $1,807 | saves $907 |
Time-of-use rates matter more in California
Time-of-use pricing is standard for many California residential customers, and the large utilities offer plans aimed at EV owners with cheaper overnight hours. Evening peak prices are typically the most expensive, while late-night or midday windows are cheaper. If you charge at off-peak hours on the right plan, your real cost per kWh can be well below the state average; if you plug in at the evening peak, it can be well above.
- Schedule charging in the car or charger app so it starts after peak hours end.
- Compare the EV plan with your current plan using a year of usage, not one month.
- Read how time-of-use rates affect EV charging and the cheapest time to charge.
Solar and public charging in California
Rooftop solar is widespread in California, and a home system can cover much of an EV's energy. How much that saves depends on how your utility credits exported power, which has changed over time and differs between customers, so check your own plan. See charging an EV with solar panels.
California also has one of the densest public charging networks. Fast charging is convenient on trips but usually priced well above home rates, so the more of your driving you cover at home, the closer your costs stay to the figures above.
See every California figure on the California page.