--- title: "Cheapest States to Charge an EV (and Where EVs Save Most)" description: "Nevada had the cheapest home charging in August 2026 at 12.72¢/kWh. Two rankings: lowest charging cost and biggest yearly savings versus gas." url: https://evchargecosts.com/guides/cheapest-states-for-ev-owners/ updated: 2026-10-26 --- # Cheapest States to Charge an EV (and Where EVs Save Most) In August 2026, **Nevada** had the cheapest home electricity at 12.72¢/kWh, so a typical EV costs about $4.26 per 100 miles there. The biggest fuel savings over a 30 mpg gas car were in **Nevada**, about $1,678 a year, because savings depend on gas prices too. By [EV Charge Cost Editorial Team](https://evchargecosts.com/about/). 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. **10 cheapest states to charge an EV at home, August 2026** | State | Price | Per 100 miles | Per month | Per year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Nevada](https://evchargecosts.com/states/nevada/) | 12.72¢/kWh | $4.26 | $47.94 | $575 | | [Louisiana](https://evchargecosts.com/states/louisiana/) | 12.87¢/kWh | $4.31 | $48.50 | $582 | | [North Dakota](https://evchargecosts.com/states/north-dakota/) | 13.31¢/kWh | $4.46 | $50.16 | $602 | | [Utah](https://evchargecosts.com/states/utah/) | 13.31¢/kWh | $4.46 | $50.16 | $602 | | [Idaho](https://evchargecosts.com/states/idaho/) | 13.37¢/kWh | $4.48 | $50.39 | $605 | | [Tennessee](https://evchargecosts.com/states/tennessee/) | 13.42¢/kWh | $4.50 | $50.58 | $607 | | [Nebraska](https://evchargecosts.com/states/nebraska/) | 13.54¢/kWh | $4.54 | $51.03 | $612 | | [Kentucky](https://evchargecosts.com/states/kentucky/) | 13.80¢/kWh | $4.62 | $52.01 | $624 | | [Arkansas](https://evchargecosts.com/states/arkansas/) | 14.37¢/kWh | $4.81 | $54.16 | $650 | | [Mississippi](https://evchargecosts.com/states/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](https://evchargecosts.com/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. **10 states where an EV saves the most on fuel vs a 30 mpg car** | State | Electricity | Gasoline | EV per year | Gas per year | Savings | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Nevada](https://evchargecosts.com/states/nevada/) | 12.72¢/kWh | $5.01 | $575 | $2,253 | $1,678 | | [Washington](https://evchargecosts.com/states/washington/) | 14.63¢/kWh | $5.01 | $662 | $2,253 | $1,592 | | [Arizona](https://evchargecosts.com/states/arizona/) | 15.05¢/kWh | $5.01 | $681 | $2,253 | $1,573 | | [Oregon](https://evchargecosts.com/states/oregon/) | 15.92¢/kWh | $5.01 | $720 | $2,253 | $1,533 | | [Utah](https://evchargecosts.com/states/utah/) | 13.31¢/kWh | $4.47 | $602 | $2,011 | $1,409 | | [Idaho](https://evchargecosts.com/states/idaho/) | 13.37¢/kWh | $4.47 | $605 | $2,011 | $1,406 | | [California](https://evchargecosts.com/states/california/) | 29.75¢/kWh | $6.03 | $1,345 | $2,714 | $1,369 | | [Wyoming](https://evchargecosts.com/states/wyoming/) | 14.43¢/kWh | $4.47 | $653 | $2,011 | $1,358 | | [Montana](https://evchargecosts.com/states/montana/) | 15.57¢/kWh | $4.47 | $704 | $2,011 | $1,306 | | [North Dakota](https://evchargecosts.com/states/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 **States with the smallest fuel savings** | State | Electricity | Gasoline | Savings per year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Hawaii](https://evchargecosts.com/states/hawaii/) | 47.18¢/kWh | $5.01 | $119 | | [Maine](https://evchargecosts.com/states/maine/) | 32.11¢/kWh | $4.25 | $460 | | [Massachusetts](https://evchargecosts.com/states/massachusetts/) | 30.48¢/kWh | $4.25 | $534 | | [Rhode Island](https://evchargecosts.com/states/rhode-island/) | 28.18¢/kWh | $4.25 | $638 | | [New York](https://evchargecosts.com/states/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](https://evchargecosts.com/ev-vs-gas/). - **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](https://evchargecosts.com/guides/ev-vs-hybrid-fuel-cost/). Both rankings refresh when EIA publishes new data. The method is explained on the [methodology page](https://evchargecosts.com/methodology/). ## Run your own numbers - [Charging cost calculator](https://evchargecosts.com/) - [EV vs gas calculator](https://evchargecosts.com/ev-vs-gas/) - [Charging time calculator](https://evchargecosts.com/charging-time/) - [Cost in your state](https://evchargecosts.com/states/) - [How we calculate](https://evchargecosts.com/methodology/) ## Related guides - [EV vs Gas: Cost per Mile Compared](https://evchargecosts.com/guides/ev-vs-gas-cost-per-mile/) - [Why Electricity Prices Differ So Much Between States](https://evchargecosts.com/guides/why-electricity-prices-differ-by-state/) - [Why Charging an EV in Hawaii Costs So Much](https://evchargecosts.com/guides/why-hawaii-ev-charging-is-expensive/) - [California EV Charging Cost Explained](https://evchargecosts.com/guides/california-ev-charging-cost-explained/) - [How Gas Prices Change EV Fuel Savings](https://evchargecosts.com/guides/how-gas-prices-affect-ev-savings/) - [Break-Even Electricity Price: When an EV Stops Saving Money](https://evchargecosts.com/guides/break-even-electricity-price-explained/) [All 59 guides](https://evchargecosts.com/guides/) ## Questions people ask ### What is the cheapest state to charge an electric car? Nevada, at 12.72¢/kWh in the August 2026 EIA data, followed by Louisiana and North Dakota. ### Where do EVs save the most money compared with gas? At current averages, Nevada (about $1,678 a year vs a 30 mpg car), then Washington and Arizona. The biggest savings come where electricity is cheap and gasoline is not. --- Source page: https://evchargecosts.com/guides/cheapest-states-for-ev-owners/ Data: EIA (electricity August 2026, gasoline 2026-10-19), EPA fueleconomy.gov. License: CC BY 4.0.