The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $4.28 per 100 miles to charge at home in Montana, and $14.00 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 15.57¢/kWh, up from 14.29¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 14% below the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $14.59 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s Montana average of $4.378 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 Montana: cost per 100 miles
Montana’s regular gas averaged $4.378 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the 16th-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 | 15.57¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $4.28 | $514 | 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) | $4.378/gal ÷ 43 mpg | $10.18 | $1,222 | EPA · AAA |
| 2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas) | $4.378/gal ÷ 30 mpg | $14.59 | $1,751 | EPA · AAA |
- Home charging vs the gas SUV: about $1,238 a year less at 12,000 miles. Home charging stays cheaper until electricity reaches about 53.07¢/kWh, 3.4× the state average.
- Home charging vs the hybrid: home charging is about $708 a year cheaper. The break-even against the hybrid is 37.03¢/kWh.
- Public fast charging vs gas: relying on DC fast charging costs more than the gas SUV at these prices ($14.85 vs $14.59 per 100 miles).
Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.1557/kWh = 4.2817, which rounds to $4.28 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $4.378 = 14.5947, or $14.59. The break-even electricity price is $14.59 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 53.07¢ per kWh.
Utility EV and time-of-use prices in Montana
We could not find a published EV or time-of-use price to quote for a major utility in Montana when we checked in November 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 Montana. That does not prove none exists; ask your utility, and use the bill rate in the calculator.
AFDC laws and incentives for Montana
Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.
EV rebates and tax credits in Montana
We found no open state EV rebate or tax credit in Montana, 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 Montana
The AFDC counted 481 public charging ports at 158 locations in Montana on October 28, 2026: 219 Level 2 and 262 DC fast. AFDC also counts about 6,900 battery-electric vehicles registered in Montana through 2025 (0.6% of light-duty registrations). That is about 14.3 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 19th-fewest EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.
Paren’s Q3 2026 report has no Montana 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 Montana
| 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 | $4.28 | $14.00 | $14.85 |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD | 24.30 | 321 mi | $3.78 | $12.15 | $13.12 |
| 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD | 31.08 | 319 mi | $4.84 | $15.44 | $16.78 |
| 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD | 30.00 | 318 mi | $4.67 | $14.85 | $16.20 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 31.44 | 260 mi | $4.90 | $12.73 | $16.98 |
Where Montana sits
Montana is in the Mountain census division.
States next to Montana on price
Also in Mountain
All 50 states and D.C., ranked
Open the calculator at 15.57¢/kWh
Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in Montana, home charger rebates in Montana, the extra EV registration fee in Montana, 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 Montana
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Montana?
About $4.28 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 15.57¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $14.00 for its full 327-mile range. The five EVs in the table run $3.78 to $4.90 per 100 miles.
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in Montana?
Yes, at home: $4.28 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $14.59 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $10.18 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $4.378 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 53.07¢/kWh.
Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in Montana?
Yes. $14.85 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh (Paren, U.S. average) is more than the gas SUV’s $14.59 and $10.57 more than home charging.
Do Montana utilities offer EV charging rates?
We found no residential EV or time-of-use rate with a published price for a major utility here. Use the energy rate on your bill.
What EV rebates or tax credits are available in Montana?
None that we could verify: in November 2026 we found no open state EV rebate or tax credit in Montana 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 Montana?
The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 158 public charging locations in Montana with 481 ports: 219 Level 2 and 262 DC fast. AFDC counts about 6,900 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 14.3 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: Montana January 21.1°F, July 66.6°F (1991–2020 averages).
- AAA, cold weather and EV range (Feb. 7, 2019).
- EIA state generation data, 2024: coal 36.4%, hydropower 34.3%, wind 21.6%, natural gas 3.7%.