The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $5.31 per 100 miles to charge at home in Illinois, and $17.37 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 19.32¢/kWh, up from 18.03¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 6% above the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $16.07 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s Illinois average of $4.821 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 Illinois: cost per 100 miles
Illinois’s regular gas averaged $4.821 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the 7th-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 | 19.32¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $5.31 | $637 | 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) | $4.821/gal ÷ 43 mpg | $11.21 | $1,345 | EPA · AAA |
| 2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas) | $4.821/gal ÷ 30 mpg | $16.07 | $1,928 | EPA · AAA |
- Home charging vs the gas SUV: about $1,291 a year less at 12,000 miles. Home charging stays cheaper until electricity reaches about 58.43¢/kWh, 3.0× the state average.
- Home charging vs the hybrid: home charging is about $708 a year cheaper. The break-even against the hybrid is 40.77¢/kWh.
- Public fast charging vs gas: relying on DC fast charging costs less than the gas SUV at these prices ($14.85 vs $16.07 per 100 miles).
Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.1932/kWh = 5.3130, which rounds to $5.31 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $4.821 = 16.0693, or $16.07. The break-even electricity price is $16.07 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 58.43¢ per kWh.
Utility EV and time-of-use prices in Illinois
Prices quoted from each utility’s tariff or rate page. Fixed charges, riders and taxes are extra unless the line says otherwise.
- ComEd, Time-of-Day pricing: Overnight supply (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) is 2.829¢/kWh in summer and 3.394¢ the rest of the year, and the 1 to 7 p.m. peak is 16.594¢. Delivery is billed on top. Prices quoted from the state's consumer advocate because ComEd's own page does not load without JavaScript. Citizens Utility Board, Q&A on ComEd's Time-of-Day program (Aug. 25, 2026), checked Nov 2026.
AFDC’s utility records (program types, no prices) list 3 utilities in Illinois with an EV rate or managed charging:
- Ameren Illinois (EV rate) · site
- Corn Belt Energy Corporation (EV rate) · site
- Liberty Utilities (EV rate) · site
Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.
EV rebates and tax credits in Illinois
- Illinois EPA EV rebate (Open): $4,000 for income-qualified buyers or $2,000 for others, on EVs priced up to $80,000. The application window runs Aug. 1 to Dec. 31, 2026. Illinois EPA, Electric 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 Illinois
The AFDC counted 6,386 public charging ports at 1,932 locations in Illinois on October 28, 2026: 3,328 Level 2 and 3,055 DC fast, plus 3 Level 1. AFDC also counts about 164,900 battery-electric vehicles registered in Illinois through 2025 (1.6% of light-duty registrations). That is about 25.8 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 9th-most EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.
Paren’s Q3 2026 report has no Illinois 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 Illinois
| 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 | $5.31 | $17.37 | $14.85 |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD | 24.30 | 321 mi | $4.69 | $15.07 | $13.12 |
| 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD | 31.08 | 319 mi | $6.00 | $19.15 | $16.78 |
| 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD | 30.00 | 318 mi | $5.80 | $18.43 | $16.20 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 31.44 | 260 mi | $6.07 | $15.79 | $16.98 |
Where Illinois sits
Illinois is in the East North Central census division.
States next to Illinois on price
Also in East North Central
All 50 states and D.C., ranked
Open the calculator at 19.32¢/kWh
Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in Illinois, home charger rebates in Illinois, the extra EV registration fee in Illinois, 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 Illinois
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Illinois?
About $5.31 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 19.32¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $17.37 for its full 327-mile range. The five EVs in the table run $4.69 to $6.07 per 100 miles.
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in Illinois?
Yes, at home: $5.31 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $16.07 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $11.21 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $4.821 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 58.43¢/kWh.
Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in Illinois?
No. $14.85 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh (Paren, U.S. average) is less than the gas SUV’s $16.07 and $9.54 more than home charging.
Do Illinois utilities offer EV charging rates?
ComEd, Time-of-Day pricing: Overnight supply (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) is 2.829¢/kWh in summer and 3.394¢ the rest of the year, and the 1 to 7 p.m. peak is 16.594¢. Delivery is billed on top.
What EV rebates or tax credits are available in Illinois?
Illinois EPA EV rebate: $4,000 for income-qualified buyers or $2,000 for others, on EVs priced up to $80,000. The application window runs Aug. 1 to Dec. 31, 2026.
How many public EV chargers are there in Illinois?
The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 1,932 public charging locations in Illinois with 6,386 ports: 3,328 Level 2 and 3,055 DC fast, plus 3 Level 1. AFDC counts about 164,900 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 25.8 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: Illinois January 26.7°F, July 75.4°F (1991–2020 averages).
- AAA, cold weather and EV range (Feb. 7, 2019).
- EIA state generation data, 2024: nuclear 53.6%, natural gas 16.3%, coal 14.6%, wind 13.5%.