The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $7.75 per 100 miles to charge at home in Rhode Island, and $25.34 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 28.18¢/kWh, up from 26.53¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 55% above the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $13.78 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s Rhode Island average of $4.135 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 Rhode Island: cost per 100 miles
Rhode Island’s regular gas averaged $4.135 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the 20th-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 | 28.18¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $7.75 | $930 | 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) | $4.135/gal ÷ 43 mpg | $9.62 | $1,154 | EPA · AAA |
| 2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas) | $4.135/gal ÷ 30 mpg | $13.78 | $1,654 | EPA · AAA |
- Home charging vs the gas SUV: about $724 a year less at 12,000 miles. Home charging stays cheaper until electricity reaches about 50.12¢/kWh, 1.8× the state average.
- Home charging vs the hybrid: home charging is about $224 a year cheaper. The break-even against the hybrid is 34.97¢/kWh.
- Public fast charging vs gas: relying on DC fast charging costs more than the gas SUV at these prices ($14.85 vs $13.78 per 100 miles).
Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.2818/kWh = 7.7495, which rounds to $7.75 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $4.135 = 13.7827, or $13.78. The break-even electricity price is $13.78 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 50.12¢ per kWh.
Utility EV and time-of-use prices in Rhode Island
We could not find a published EV or time-of-use price to quote for a major utility in Rhode Island when we checked in November 2026.
AFDC’s utility records (program types, no prices) list 1 utility in Rhode Island with an EV rate or managed charging:
- National Grid (EV rate) · site
Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.
EV rebates and tax credits in Rhode Island
- DRIVE EV (Open, Rhode Island DEM): $3,000 for a new battery EV, $2,000 for a new plug-in hybrid, $2,500 for a used battery EV and $1,750 for a used plug-in hybrid. Price caps are $75,000 new and $55,000 used. RI DEM, DRIVE EV, 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 Rhode Island
The AFDC counted 890 public charging ports at 361 locations in Rhode Island on October 28, 2026: 716 Level 2 and 154 DC fast, plus 20 Level 1. AFDC also counts about 9,800 battery-electric vehicles registered in Rhode Island through 2025 (1.2% of light-duty registrations). That is about 11.0 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 11th-fewest EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.
Paren’s Q3 2026 report has no Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island
| 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 | $7.75 | $25.34 | $14.85 |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD | 24.30 | 321 mi | $6.85 | $21.98 | $13.12 |
| 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD | 31.08 | 319 mi | $8.76 | $27.94 | $16.78 |
| 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD | 30.00 | 318 mi | $8.45 | $26.88 | $16.20 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 31.44 | 260 mi | $8.86 | $23.04 | $16.98 |
Where Rhode Island sits
Rhode Island is in the New England census division.
States next to Rhode Island on price
Also in New England
All 50 states and D.C., ranked
Open the calculator at 28.18¢/kWh
Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in Rhode Island, home charger rebates in Rhode Island, the extra EV registration fee in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Rhode Island?
About $7.75 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 28.18¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $25.34 for its full 327-mile range. The five EVs in the table run $6.85 to $8.86 per 100 miles.
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in Rhode Island?
Yes, at home: $7.75 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $13.78 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $9.62 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $4.135 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 50.12¢/kWh.
Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in Rhode Island?
Yes. $14.85 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh (Paren, U.S. average) is more than the gas SUV’s $13.78 and $7.10 more than home charging.
Do Rhode Island utilities offer EV charging rates?
AFDC lists National Grid 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 Rhode Island?
DRIVE EV: $3,000 for a new battery EV, $2,000 for a new plug-in hybrid, $2,500 for a used battery EV and $1,750 for a used plug-in hybrid. Price caps are $75,000 new and $55,000 used.
How many public EV chargers are there in Rhode Island?
The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 361 public charging locations in Rhode Island with 890 ports: 716 Level 2 and 154 DC fast, plus 20 Level 1. AFDC counts about 9,800 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 11.0 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: Rhode Island January 29.1°F, July 72.3°F (1991–2020 averages).
- AAA, cold weather and EV range (Feb. 7, 2019).
- EIA state generation data, 2024: natural gas 89.9%, solar 6.1%, other biomass 2%, wind 1.8%.