The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $4.69 per 100 miles to charge at home in Iowa, and $15.34 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 17.06¢/kWh, up from 15.48¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 6% below the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $13.80 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s Iowa average of $4.140 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 Iowa: cost per 100 miles
Iowa’s regular gas averaged $4.140 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the 21st-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 | 17.06¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $4.69 | $563 | 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) | $4.140/gal ÷ 43 mpg | $9.63 | $1,155 | EPA · AAA |
| 2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas) | $4.140/gal ÷ 30 mpg | $13.80 | $1,656 | EPA · AAA |
- Home charging vs the gas SUV: about $1,093 a year less at 12,000 miles. Home charging stays cheaper until electricity reaches about 50.18¢/kWh, 2.9× the state average.
- Home charging vs the hybrid: home charging is about $592 a year cheaper. The break-even against the hybrid is 35.01¢/kWh.
- Public fast charging vs gas: relying on DC fast charging costs more than the gas SUV at these prices ($14.85 vs $13.80 per 100 miles).
Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.1706/kWh = 4.6915, which rounds to $4.69 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $4.140 = 13.7993, or $13.80. The break-even electricity price is $13.80 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 50.18¢ per kWh.
Utility EV and time-of-use prices in Iowa
Prices quoted from each utility’s tariff or rate page. Fixed charges, riders and taxes are extra unless the line says otherwise.
- MidAmerican Energy, Residential time-of-use: Off-peak runs 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. MidAmerican's page does not print the per-kWh prices. MidAmerican Energy, Time-of-use rates, checked Nov 2026.
AFDC’s utility records (program types, no prices) list 3 utilities in Iowa with an EV rate or managed charging:
- Black Hills Energy (EV rate) · site
- Liberty Utilities (EV rate) · site
- MidAmerican Energy Company (EV rate) · site
Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.
EV rebates and tax credits in Iowa
We found no open state EV rebate or tax credit in Iowa, and no utility charger rebate we could verify, when we checked in November 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 Iowa
The AFDC counted 1,306 public charging ports at 487 locations in Iowa on October 28, 2026: 720 Level 2 and 586 DC fast. AFDC also counts about 15,100 battery-electric vehicles registered in Iowa through 2025 (0.5% of light-duty registrations). That is about 11.6 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 13th-fewest EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.
Paren’s Q3 2026 report has no Iowa 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 Iowa
| 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 | $4.69 | $15.34 | $14.85 |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD | 24.30 | 321 mi | $4.15 | $13.31 | $13.12 |
| 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD | 31.08 | 319 mi | $5.30 | $16.91 | $16.78 |
| 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD | 30.00 | 318 mi | $5.12 | $16.28 | $16.20 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 31.44 | 260 mi | $5.36 | $13.95 | $16.98 |
Where Iowa sits
Iowa is in the West North Central census division.
States next to Iowa on price
Also in West North Central
All 50 states and D.C., ranked
Open the calculator at 17.06¢/kWh
Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in Iowa, home charger rebates in Iowa, the extra EV registration fee in Iowa, 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 Iowa
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Iowa?
About $4.69 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 17.06¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $15.34 for its full 327-mile range. The five EVs in the table run $4.15 to $5.36 per 100 miles.
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in Iowa?
Yes, at home: $4.69 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $13.80 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $9.63 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $4.140 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 50.18¢/kWh.
Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in Iowa?
Yes. $14.85 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh (Paren, U.S. average) is more than the gas SUV’s $13.80 and $10.16 more than home charging.
Do Iowa utilities offer EV charging rates?
MidAmerican Energy, Residential time-of-use: Off-peak runs 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. MidAmerican's page does not print the per-kWh prices.
What EV rebates or tax credits are available in Iowa?
None that we could verify: in November 2026 we found no open state EV rebate or tax credit in Iowa and no utility charger rebate with a published amount. The federal purchase and charger credits have also ended.
How many public EV chargers are there in Iowa?
The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 487 public charging locations in Iowa with 1,306 ports: 720 Level 2 and 586 DC fast. AFDC counts about 15,100 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 11.6 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: Iowa January 19.5°F, July 73.4°F (1991–2020 averages).
- AAA, cold weather and EV range (Feb. 7, 2019).
- EIA state generation data, 2024: wind 62.8%, coal 20.5%, natural gas 13.9%, hydropower 1.5%.