By EV Charge Cost Editorial Team. Published September 28, 2026, updated October 26, 2026.
Electricity prices change more slowly than gasoline prices, but they do change, and the direction matters for anyone who plans to charge a car at home for the next ten years. This guide uses the monthly EIA residential prices we store for every state, covering 14 months from July 2025 to August 2026.
The national picture
We track the median of the 50 states and D.C. each month, because it is less affected by a few extreme states than a simple average. The median rose by 0.72¢/kWh between July 2025 and August 2026. It was highest in April 2026 (16.54¢/kWh) and lowest in December 2025 (15.04¢/kWh). Over the same period, 42 states saw prices rise and 8 saw them fall, with the rest roughly flat.
| Month | Median price | EV cost per 100 mi | EV cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2025 | 15.61¢/kWh | $5.23 | $706 |
| August 2025 | 15.85¢/kWh | $5.31 | $717 |
| September 2025 | 16.11¢/kWh | $5.40 | $729 |
| October 2025 | 16.08¢/kWh | $5.39 | $727 |
| November 2025 | 15.68¢/kWh | $5.25 | $709 |
| December 2025 | 15.04¢/kWh | $5.04 | $680 |
| January 2026 | 15.61¢/kWh | $5.23 | $706 |
| February 2026 | 15.80¢/kWh | $5.29 | $715 |
| March 2026 | 16.37¢/kWh | $5.48 | $740 |
| April 2026 | 16.54¢/kWh | $5.54 | $748 |
| May 2026 | 16.27¢/kWh | $5.45 | $736 |
| June 2026 | 16.32¢/kWh | $5.47 | $738 |
| July 2026 | 16.09¢/kWh | $5.39 | $728 |
| August 2026 | 16.33¢/kWh | $5.47 | $739 |
Month-to-month moves include seasonal effects, so compare the same month a year apart where possible. See seasonal electricity prices for that pattern.
Biggest risers and fallers
Percentage change between July 2025 and August 2026, from the first to the latest month in our data:
| State | July 2025 | August 2026 | Change | EV cost change per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 22.79¢/kWh | 27.64¢/kWh | +21.3% | +$219 |
| Hawaii | 39.36¢/kWh | 47.18¢/kWh | +19.9% | +$354 |
| Maine | 27.98¢/kWh | 32.11¢/kWh | +14.8% | +$187 |
| Maryland | 18.83¢/kWh | 21.40¢/kWh | +13.6% | +$116 |
| Delaware | 16.58¢/kWh | 18.70¢/kWh | +12.8% | +$96 |
| State | July 2025 | August 2026 | Change | EV cost change per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 27.60¢/kWh | 24.51¢/kWh | −11.2% | −$140 |
| California | 32.66¢/kWh | 29.75¢/kWh | −8.9% | −$132 |
| New Jersey | 25.32¢/kWh | 24.61¢/kWh | −2.8% | −$32 |
| Louisiana | 13.12¢/kWh | 12.87¢/kWh | −1.9% | −$11 |
| Arizona | 15.34¢/kWh | 15.05¢/kWh | −1.9% | −$13 |
New Hampshire had the largest percentage increase, at 21.3%. Connecticut had the largest decrease, 11.2%. Single-state monthly figures can jump because of billing adjustments and fuel-cost true-ups, so treat one month's change with caution.
What a price change costs an EV owner
A 33.5 kWh/100 mi EV driven 13,500 miles a year uses about 4,523 kWh. So:
- Every 1¢/kWh change adds or saves about $45 a year.
- A 10% rise from the U.S. average of 18.16¢/kWh would add about $82 a year.
- For comparison, a 10% rise in gasoline from $4.28 would add about $193 a year to a 30 mpg car.
Because the EV's fuel bill is smaller, the same percentage rise costs fewer dollars. That is a built-in cushion against price increases.
What drives the changes
Residential prices move for a handful of recurring reasons. Fuel costs, especially natural gas, pass through to bills through fuel-adjustment charges, usually with a lag. Utilities file rate cases to recover spending on poles, wires, substations and storm or wildfire hardening, and approved increases tend to arrive in steps rather than smoothly. Demand growth from new homes, data centers and electrification can require new generation and transmission, and weather drives both demand and fuel prices.
Because these causes differ by utility, two neighboring states can move in opposite directions in the same year. A national figure is a useful summary but a poor forecast for any single household.
Reading monthly data carefully
- Compare like with like. A summer month against a spring month mixes trend with season.
- Look at several months. Billing corrections can make one month an outlier that reverses the next.
- Remember it is an average. The state figure blends every utility and rate plan; your own bill can move differently.
How to protect yourself
- Use off-peak rates where they exist; they often rise less than peak prices in absolute terms. See time-of-use rates.
- Stress-test your savings with a higher electricity price using the EV vs gas calculator.
- Follow your state on the state pages, which show each state's monthly history.