The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $5.14 per 100 miles to charge at home in Delaware, and $16.82 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 18.70¢/kWh, up from 16.85¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 3% above the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $13.22 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s Delaware average of $3.967 a gallon (October 28, 2026), and about $15.79 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 Delaware: cost per 100 miles
Delaware’s regular gas averaged $3.967 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the 14th-cheapest 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 | 18.70¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $5.14 | $617 | EPA · EIA |
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, public DC fast | $0.574/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $15.79 | $1,895 | Paren, Delaware average |
| 2026 Toyota RAV4 (2.5 L hybrid, 2WD) | $3.967/gal ÷ 43 mpg | $9.23 | $1,107 | EPA · AAA |
| 2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas) | $3.967/gal ÷ 30 mpg | $13.22 | $1,587 | EPA · AAA |
- Home charging vs the gas SUV: about $970 a year less at 12,000 miles. Home charging stays cheaper until electricity reaches about 48.08¢/kWh, 2.6× the state average.
- Home charging vs the hybrid: home charging is about $490 a year cheaper. The break-even against the hybrid is 33.55¢/kWh.
- Public fast charging vs gas: relying on DC fast charging costs more than the gas SUV at these prices ($15.79 vs $13.22 per 100 miles).
Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.1870/kWh = 5.1425, which rounds to $5.14 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $3.967 = 13.2233, or $13.22. The break-even electricity price is $13.22 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 48.08¢ per kWh.
Utility EV and time-of-use prices in Delaware
We could not find a published EV or time-of-use price to quote for a major utility in Delaware when we checked in November 2026.
AFDC’s utility records (program types, no prices) list 2 utilities in Delaware with an EV rate or managed charging:
- Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC) (EV rate) · site
- Delmarva Power (EV rate) · site
Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.
EV rebates and tax credits in Delaware
- Delaware Clean Vehicle Rebate (Open, DNREC): New battery EV under $40,000: $2,500; $40,000 to $50,000: $1,500; new plug-in hybrid: $1,000. Used battery EVs up to $40,000 get $2,500. DNREC, Vehicle rebates, 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 Delaware
The AFDC counted 725 public charging ports at 228 locations in Delaware on October 28, 2026: 414 Level 2 and 309 DC fast, plus 2 Level 1. AFDC also counts about 16,000 battery-electric vehicles registered in Delaware through 2025 (1.7% of light-duty registrations). That is about 22.1 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 13th-most EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.
Delaware fast-charging price: Paren’s Q3 2026 report states a Delaware average of $0.574 per kWh for public DC fast charging, against $0.540 nationally. This page uses the Delaware figure.
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 $14.11 per 100 miles at $0.574/kWh.
Cost to charge five common EVs in Delaware
| 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 | $5.14 | $16.82 | $15.79 |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD | 24.30 | 321 mi | $4.54 | $14.59 | $13.95 |
| 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD | 31.08 | 319 mi | $5.81 | $18.54 | $17.84 |
| 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD | 30.00 | 318 mi | $5.61 | $17.84 | $17.22 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 31.44 | 260 mi | $5.88 | $15.29 | $18.05 |
Where Delaware sits
Delaware is in the South Atlantic census division.
States next to Delaware on price
Also in South Atlantic
All 50 states and D.C., ranked
Open the calculator at 18.70¢/kWh
Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in Delaware, home charger rebates in Delaware, the extra EV registration fee in Delaware, 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 Delaware
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Delaware?
About $5.14 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 18.70¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $16.82 for its full 327-mile range. The five EVs in the table run $4.54 to $5.88 per 100 miles.
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in Delaware?
Yes, at home: $5.14 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $13.22 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $9.23 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $3.967 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 48.08¢/kWh.
Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in Delaware?
Yes. $15.79 per 100 miles at $0.574/kWh (Paren, Delaware average) is more than the gas SUV’s $13.22 and $10.65 more than home charging.
Do Delaware utilities offer EV charging rates?
AFDC lists Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC) and Delmarva Power with an EV rate or managed-charging program, but we could not find a published price to quote for a major utility here. Ask your utility for its off-peak price.
What EV rebates or tax credits are available in Delaware?
Delaware Clean Vehicle Rebate: New battery EV under $40,000: $2,500; $40,000 to $50,000: $1,500; new plug-in hybrid: $1,000. Used battery EVs up to $40,000 get $2,500.
How many public EV chargers are there in Delaware?
The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 228 public charging locations in Delaware with 725 ports: 414 Level 2 and 309 DC fast, plus 2 Level 1. AFDC counts about 16,000 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 22.1 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: Delaware January 35.2°F, July 77.4°F (1991–2020 averages).
- AAA, cold weather and EV range (Feb. 7, 2019).
- EIA state generation data, 2024: natural gas 87.6%, other gases 4.6%, solar 3.5%, coal 3%.