By EV Charge Cost Editorial Team. Published September 28, 2026, updated October 26, 2026.
"Cheapest state for EVs" can mean two different things. If you already own an EV, you care about the cost of electricity. If you are deciding between an EV and a gas car, you care about the gap between electricity and gasoline. The two lists overlap, but not completely.
Ranking 1: lowest cost to charge at home
This ranking uses the EIA average residential price for August 2026 and a 33.5 kWh/100 mi EV driven 13,500 miles a year.
| State | Price | Per 100 miles | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢/kWh | $4.26 | $47.94 | $575 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢/kWh | $4.31 | $48.50 | $582 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢/kWh | $4.46 | $50.16 | $602 |
| Utah | 13.31¢/kWh | $4.46 | $50.16 | $602 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢/kWh | $4.48 | $50.39 | $605 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢/kWh | $4.50 | $50.58 | $607 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢/kWh | $4.54 | $51.03 | $612 |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢/kWh | $4.62 | $52.01 | $624 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢/kWh | $4.81 | $54.16 | $650 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢/kWh | $4.83 | $54.38 | $653 |
At the top, Nevada works out to $575 a year. At the U.S. average of 18.16¢/kWh the same driving costs $821, and in Hawaii, the most expensive state, $2,134. The full list is on the state rankings page.
Ranking 2: biggest savings versus a gas car
Here we compare the EV with a 30 mpg gas car in each state, using the state's electricity price and EIA's weekly regular gasoline price for the state's region (week of 2026-10-19). Savings are fuel only.
| State | Electricity | Gasoline | EV per year | Gas per year | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢/kWh | $5.01 | $575 | $2,253 | $1,678 |
| Washington | 14.63¢/kWh | $5.01 | $662 | $2,253 | $1,592 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢/kWh | $5.01 | $681 | $2,253 | $1,573 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢/kWh | $5.01 | $720 | $2,253 | $1,533 |
| Utah | 13.31¢/kWh | $4.47 | $602 | $2,011 | $1,409 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢/kWh | $4.47 | $605 | $2,011 | $1,406 |
| California | 29.75¢/kWh | $6.03 | $1,345 | $2,714 | $1,369 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢/kWh | $4.47 | $653 | $2,011 | $1,358 |
| Montana | 15.57¢/kWh | $4.47 | $704 | $2,011 | $1,306 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢/kWh | $4.15 | $602 | $1,865 | $1,263 |
4 states appear on both lists: Nevada, North Dakota, Utah and Idaho. These are places where cheap electricity meets middle-to-high gasoline prices. States that miss the top of the savings list despite cheap power usually sit in regions with cheaper gasoline, so the gas car is also cheap to run.
Where the EV advantage is smallest
| State | Electricity | Gasoline | Savings per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 47.18¢/kWh | $5.01 | $119 |
| Maine | 32.11¢/kWh | $4.25 | $460 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢/kWh | $4.25 | $534 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢/kWh | $4.25 | $638 |
| New York | 28.65¢/kWh | $4.31 | $645 |
The EV saves money on fuel in every state in our data, though in the states above the margin is much thinner than the $1,678 at the top.
Why the two lists differ
Charging cost depends on one number: the price of a kWh. Savings depend on two, because the EV is only as good a deal as the car it replaces is expensive to run. A state with cheap power but the cheapest gasoline in the country can end up in the middle of the savings table, while a state with average power and expensive gasoline can rise near the top.
That is also why the savings ranking moves more from week to week. Electricity averages are monthly and tend to change slowly; gasoline is weekly and can move several cents at a time. A region-wide jump in pump prices lifts every state in that region together.
For someone moving between states, or deciding where a second home or a fleet vehicle should be based, the first list is the better guide to running costs. For someone deciding whether to switch from gas, the second list is the better guide to what the switch is worth.
How to read these rankings
- They use state averages. Your utility and plan may differ a lot; enter your real rate in the EV vs gas calculator.
- Gasoline is regional. EIA publishes weekly prices for regions, not every state, so neighboring states share a gas price here.
- Savings scale with miles. Double the mileage and the savings double.
- Your gas car matters. Against a hybrid the savings shrink; see EV vs hybrid fuel cost.
Both rankings refresh when EIA publishes new data. The method is explained on the methodology page.