Electricity Price Index

Electricity rates vary significantly by state, from under 12 cents per kWh to over 40 cents in Hawaii. For EV drivers, your state’s rate directly determines what you pay per mile. The index below shows current average residential rates for all 50 states, ranked cheapest to most expensive, with estimated annual fuel costs based on 12,000 miles of driving per year.

Why rates vary so much by state

Electricity prices are shaped mainly by how power is generated and regulated in each state. States with abundant hydroelectric, nuclear, or natural gas generation, and states with deregulated markets and heavy competition among providers, tend to sit at the lower end. States that rely more heavily on imported fuel, have limited grid capacity, or operate as isolated grids, like Hawaii, tend to sit at the higher end. Your utility’s specific rate structure matters too. Many utilities offer time-of-use plans with cheaper overnight rates built specifically for EV charging, which can bring your real cost well below the flat average shown here.

To see what your rate means for a specific vehicle rather than the national average used in this table, try our Charging Cost Calculator, or compare total ownership costs against a gas vehicle with our EV vs Gas Calculator.