The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $7.14 per 100 miles to charge at home in the District of Columbia, and $23.36 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 25.98¢/kWh, up from 23.18¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 43% above the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $14.41 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s District of Columbia average of $4.322 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 the District of Columbia: cost per 100 miles
The District of Columbia’s regular gas averaged $4.322 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the 19th-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 | 25.98¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $7.14 | $857 | 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) | $4.322/gal ÷ 43 mpg | $10.05 | $1,206 | EPA · AAA |
| 2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas) | $4.322/gal ÷ 30 mpg | $14.41 | $1,729 | EPA · AAA |
- Home charging vs the gas SUV: about $872 a year less at 12,000 miles. Home charging stays cheaper until electricity reaches about 52.39¢/kWh, 2.0× the state average.
- Home charging vs the hybrid: home charging is about $349 a year cheaper. The break-even against the hybrid is 36.55¢/kWh.
- Public fast charging vs gas: relying on DC fast charging costs more than the gas SUV at these prices ($14.85 vs $14.41 per 100 miles).
Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.2598/kWh = 7.1445, which rounds to $7.14 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $4.322 = 14.4083, or $14.41. The break-even electricity price is $14.41 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 52.39¢ per kWh.
Utility EV and time-of-use prices in the District of Columbia
Prices quoted from each utility’s tariff or rate page. Fixed charges, riders and taxes are extra unless the line says otherwise.
- Pepco, R-PIV whole-house time-of-use: Generation charge for November 2026 to May 2027: 31.318¢/kWh on-peak (weekdays noon to 8 p.m.) and 10.178¢ off-peak. Distribution charges are billed on top. Pepco, DC residential time-of-use rate, checked Nov 2026.
The AFDC utility records reviewed on 2026-10-28 do not list a residential EV time-of-use rate or managed-charging program for a utility in the District of Columbia. That does not prove none exists; ask your utility, and use the bill rate in the calculator.
AFDC laws and incentives for the District of Columbia
Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.
EV rebates and tax credits in the District of Columbia
- Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Credit (Open, DC Office of Tax and Revenue): A D.C. income tax credit of 50% of the cost to buy and install a home charging station, up to $1,000 per station, extended through 2036. DOEE, Electric vehicle resources, 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 the District of Columbia
The AFDC counted 1,082 public charging ports at 310 locations in the District of Columbia on October 28, 2026: 1,019 Level 2 and 61 DC fast, plus 2 Level 1. AFDC also counts about 12,900 battery-electric vehicles registered in the District of Columbia through 2025 (4.2% of light-duty registrations). That is about 11.9 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 14th-fewest EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.
Paren’s Q3 2026 report has no District of Columbia 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 the District of Columbia
| 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 | $7.14 | $23.36 | $14.85 |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD | 24.30 | 321 mi | $6.31 | $20.27 | $13.12 |
| 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD | 31.08 | 319 mi | $8.07 | $25.76 | $16.78 |
| 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD | 30.00 | 318 mi | $7.79 | $24.78 | $16.20 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 31.44 | 260 mi | $8.17 | $21.24 | $16.98 |
Where the District of Columbia sits
District of Columbia is in the South Atlantic census division.
States next to District of Columbia on price
Also in South Atlantic
All 50 states and D.C., ranked
Open the calculator at 25.98¢/kWh
Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in the District of Columbia, home charger rebates in the District of Columbia, the extra EV registration fee in the District of Columbia, 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 the District of Columbia
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in the District of Columbia?
About $7.14 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 25.98¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $23.36 for its full 327-mile range. The five EVs in the table run $6.31 to $8.17 per 100 miles.
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in the District of Columbia?
Yes, at home: $7.14 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $14.41 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $10.05 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $4.322 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 52.39¢/kWh.
Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in the District of Columbia?
Yes. $14.85 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh (Paren, U.S. average) is more than the gas SUV’s $14.41 and $7.71 more than home charging.
Do District of Columbia utilities offer EV charging rates?
Pepco, R-PIV whole-house time-of-use: Generation charge for November 2026 to May 2027: 31.318¢/kWh on-peak (weekdays noon to 8 p.m.) and 10.178¢ off-peak. Distribution charges are billed on top.
What EV rebates or tax credits are available in the District of Columbia?
Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Credit: A D.C. income tax credit of 50% of the cost to buy and install a home charging station, up to $1,000 per station, extended through 2036.
How many public EV chargers are there in the District of Columbia?
The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 310 public charging locations in the District of Columbia with 1,082 ports: 1,019 Level 2 and 61 DC fast, plus 2 Level 1. AFDC counts about 12,900 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 11.9 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).
- AAA, cold weather and EV range (Feb. 7, 2019).