The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $8.18 per 100 miles to charge at home in California, and $26.75 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 29.75¢/kWh, down from 30.92¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 64% above the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $19.90 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s California average of $5.971 a gallon (October 28, 2026), and about $14.85 at a public DC fast charger.
EIA Table 5.6.A: EIA labels the 2026 values in this table as preliminary estimates based on a cutoff model sample from Form EIA-861M (formerly EIA-826). Values for 2025 are final. These are state or district-wide residential averages, not a household tariff. Method.
EV vs gas in California: cost per 100 miles
California’s regular gas averaged $5.971 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the most expensive among the 50 states and the District (AAA).
| How you fuel | Math | Per 100 mi | 12,000 mi/yr | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, charged at home | 29.75¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $8.18 | $982 | EPA · EIA |
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, public DC fast | $0.540/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $14.85 | $1,782 | Paren, U.S. average |
| 2026 Toyota RAV4 (2.5 L hybrid, 2WD) | $5.971/gal ÷ 43 mpg | $13.89 | $1,666 | EPA · AAA |
| 2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas) | $5.971/gal ÷ 30 mpg | $19.90 | $2,388 | EPA · AAA |
- Home charging vs the gas SUV: about $1,407 a year less at 12,000 miles. Home charging stays cheaper until electricity reaches about 72.37¢/kWh, 2.4× the state average.
- Home charging vs the hybrid: home charging is about $685 a year cheaper. The break-even against the hybrid is 50.49¢/kWh.
- Public fast charging vs gas: relying on DC fast charging costs less than the gas SUV at these prices ($14.85 vs $19.90 per 100 miles).
Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.2975/kWh = 8.1813, which rounds to $8.18 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $5.971 = 19.9020, or $19.90. The break-even electricity price is $19.90 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 72.37¢ per kWh.
Utility EV and time-of-use prices in California
Prices quoted from each utility’s tariff or rate page. Fixed charges, riders and taxes are extra unless the line says otherwise.
- PG&E, EV2-A: Total bundled energy: summer 53.809¢ peak (4 to 9 p.m.), 42.760¢ partial-peak, 22.558¢ off-peak; winter 41.099¢ peak, 39.428¢ partial-peak, 22.558¢ off-peak. PG&E, Electric Schedule EV2, checked Nov 2026.
- Southern California Edison, TOU-D-PRIME: About 26¢/kWh off-peak and 61¢ on-peak (4 to 9 p.m.) in summer; 24¢ super off-peak from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in winter. SCE, Time-of-Use residential rate plans, checked Nov 2026.
- SDG&E, EV-TOU-5: Super off-peak 12.3¢/kWh, off-peak 46.6¢ and on-peak (4 to 9 p.m.) 52.4¢ for customers not served by a community choice aggregator. SDG&E, Electric vehicle plans, checked Nov 2026.
For the 27.50 kWh a Model Y uses per 100 miles: about $6.20 at PG&E’s off-peak price (22.558¢); about $3.38 at SDG&E’s super off-peak price (12.3¢). That is before fixed charges and riders; the state average works out to $8.18.
AFDC’s utility records (program types, no prices) list 18 utilities in California with an EV rate or managed charging:
- Alameda Municipal Power (EV rate) · site
- Anaheim Public Utilities (EV rate) · site
- Azusa Light & Water (EV rate) · site
- Bear Valley Electric Service (EV rate) · site
- Burbank Water & Power (EV rate) · site
- Colton Public Utilities (EV rate) · site
- Glendale Public Service Department (EV rate) · site
- Glendale Water and Power (EV rate) · site
- Liberty Utilities (EV rate) · site
- MCE (EV rate, managed charging) · site
- Pacific Gas and Electric (EV rate) · site
- Pacific Power (EV rate) · site
- Riverside Public Utilities Department (EV rate) · site
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (EV rate, managed charging) · site
- San Diego Gas & Electric (EV rate) · site
- Sonoma Clean Power (EV rate) · site
- Southern California Edison (EV rate) · site
- Southern California Public Power Authority (EV rate) · site
Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.
EV rebates and tax credits in California
- Clean Cars 4 All (Driving Clean Assistance Program) (Open, California Air Resources Board / DCAP): Scrap-and-replace pathway: up to $10,000 toward a cleaner car, or $12,000 in a disadvantaged community, plus a $2,000 home-charger or public-charging incentive. DCAP's separate financing-assistance pathway closed on Aug. 21, 2026. Driving Clean Assistance Program, eligibility, checked Nov 2026.
- SMUD Charge@Home (Open): Up to $850 toward a home charger and circuit, subject to available funds. SMUD, Residential EVs, checked Nov 2026.
- LADWP Residential EV Charger Rebate (Open): Up to $1,000 for a qualifying Level 2 charger, up to $500 more for Lifeline or EZ-SAVE customers. LADWP, Residential EV Charger Rebate Program, checked Nov 2026.
Federal credits are gone: 30D and 25E for vehicles acquired after Sept. 30, 2025, and 30C for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026 (IRS: new, used, charger).
Public charging in California
The AFDC counted 69,626 public charging ports at 20,373 locations in California on October 28, 2026: 49,680 Level 2 and 19,650 DC fast, plus 284 Level 1. AFDC also counts about 1,843,100 battery-electric vehicles registered in California through 2025 (4.8% of light-duty registrations). That is about 26.5 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 8th-most EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.
Paren’s Q3 2026 report has no California figure, so fast-charging math here uses its U.S. average of $0.540 per kWh.
Stations that bill energy delivered to the car charge less than the EPA wall figure. As a rough estimate (wall energy × 0.894, a Level 2 efficiency from Sears et al., 2014), the Model Y comes to about $13.28 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh.
Cost to charge five common EVs in California
| Vehicle | EPA kWh/100 mi | EPA range | Home / 100 mi | Home full charge | Public DC / 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD | 27.50 | 327 mi | $8.18 | $26.75 | $14.85 |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD | 24.30 | 321 mi | $7.23 | $23.21 | $13.12 |
| 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD | 31.08 | 319 mi | $9.25 | $29.50 | $16.78 |
| 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD | 30.00 | 318 mi | $8.93 | $28.38 | $16.20 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 31.44 | 260 mi | $9.35 | $24.32 | $16.98 |
Where California sits
California is in the Pacific Contiguous census division.
States next to California on price
Also in Pacific Contiguous
All 50 states and D.C., ranked
Open the calculator at 29.75¢/kWh
Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in California, home charger rebates in California, the extra EV registration fee in California, whether your panel can take a Level 2 circuit, home charger comparison, and all free EV tools.
Pricing a Level 2 charger? See the charger guide and the ChargePoint Home Flex review.
Check Home Flex on AmazonFAQ: charging an EV in California
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in California?
About $8.18 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 29.75¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $26.75 for its full 327-mile range. On PG&E’s off-peak price of 22.558¢ it falls to about $6.20 per 100 miles before fixed charges.
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in California?
Yes, at home: $8.18 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $19.90 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $13.89 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $5.971 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 72.37¢/kWh.
Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in California?
No. $14.85 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh (Paren, U.S. average) is less than the gas SUV’s $19.90 and $6.67 more than home charging.
Do California utilities offer EV charging rates?
PG&E, EV2-A: Total bundled energy: summer 53.809¢ peak (4 to 9 p.m.), 42.760¢ partial-peak, 22.558¢ off-peak; winter 41.099¢ peak, 39.428¢ partial-peak, 22.558¢ off-peak. Southern California Edison, TOU-D-PRIME: About 26¢/kWh off-peak and 61¢ on-peak (4 to 9 p.m.) in summer; 24¢ super off-peak from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in winter. SDG&E, EV-TOU-5: Super off-peak 12.3¢/kWh, off-peak 46.6¢ and on-peak (4 to 9 p.m.) 52.4¢ for customers not served by a community choice aggregator.
What EV rebates or tax credits are available in California?
Clean Cars 4 All (Driving Clean Assistance Program): Scrap-and-replace pathway: up to $10,000 toward a cleaner car, or $12,000 in a disadvantaged community, plus a $2,000 home-charger or public-charging incentive. DCAP's separate financing-assistance pathway closed on Aug. 21, 2026. SMUD Charge@Home: Up to $850 toward a home charger and circuit, subject to available funds. LADWP Residential EV Charger Rebate: Up to $1,000 for a qualifying Level 2 charger, up to $500 more for Lifeline or EZ-SAVE customers.
How many public EV chargers are there in California?
The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 20,373 public charging locations in California with 69,626 ports: 49,680 Level 2 and 19,650 DC fast, plus 284 Level 1. AFDC counts about 1,843,100 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 26.5 EVs per public port.
More sources
Electricity, gas, vehicle and fast-charging sources are linked in the tables above.
- AFDC station counts (October 28, 2026), registrations (2025), and utility records (2026-10-28).
- NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance, statewide mean temperature: California January 44.9°F, July 76.2°F (1991–2020 averages).
- AAA, cold weather and EV range (Feb. 7, 2019).
- EIA state generation data, 2024: natural gas 40.5%, solar 22.6%, hydropower 13.8%, nuclear 8.6%.