The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $4.17 per 100 miles to charge at home in South Dakota, and $13.62 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 15.15¢/kWh, up from 13.90¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 17% below the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $14.04 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s South Dakota average of $4.212 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 South Dakota: cost per 100 miles
South Dakota’s regular gas averaged $4.212 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the 24th-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 | 15.15¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh | $4.17 | $500 | 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) | $4.212/gal ÷ 43 mpg | $9.80 | $1,175 | EPA · AAA |
| 2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas) | $4.212/gal ÷ 30 mpg | $14.04 | $1,685 | EPA · AAA |
- Home charging vs the gas SUV: about $1,184 a year less at 12,000 miles. Home charging stays cheaper until electricity reaches about 51.06¢/kWh, 3.4× the state average.
- Home charging vs the hybrid: home charging is about $675 a year cheaper. The break-even against the hybrid is 35.62¢/kWh.
- Public fast charging vs gas: relying on DC fast charging costs more than the gas SUV at these prices ($14.85 vs $14.04 per 100 miles).
Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.1515/kWh = 4.1662, which rounds to $4.17 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $4.212 = 14.0403, or $14.04. The break-even electricity price is $14.04 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 51.06¢ per kWh.
Utility EV and time-of-use prices in South Dakota
We could not find a published EV or time-of-use price to quote for a major utility in South Dakota when we checked in November 2026.
AFDC’s utility records (program types, no prices) list 3 utilities in South Dakota with an EV rate or managed charging:
- Black Hills Energy (EV rate) · site
- Otter Tail Power (EV rate) · site
- Xcel Energy (EV rate) · site
Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.
EV rebates and tax credits in South Dakota
- Black Hills Energy charger rebate (Open): Up to $500 for a qualifying Wi-Fi-connected Level 2 charger. Buy, install and apply by Dec. 31, 2026. Black Hills Energy, 2026 SD/WY EV residential rebate form, checked Nov 2026.
- Otter Tail Power charger rebate (Open): $500 for a Level 2 charger on a qualifying off-peak rate. Otter Tail Power, Electric vehicle rate, 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 South Dakota
The AFDC counted 330 public charging ports at 114 locations in South Dakota on October 28, 2026: 173 Level 2 and 157 DC fast. AFDC also counts about 3,000 battery-electric vehicles registered in South Dakota through 2025 (0.3% of light-duty registrations). That is about 9.1 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 5th-fewest EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.
Paren’s Q3 2026 report has no South Dakota 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 South Dakota
| 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 | $4.17 | $13.62 | $14.85 |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD | 24.30 | 321 mi | $3.68 | $11.82 | $13.12 |
| 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD | 31.08 | 319 mi | $4.71 | $15.02 | $16.78 |
| 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD | 30.00 | 318 mi | $4.55 | $14.45 | $16.20 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD | 31.44 | 260 mi | $4.76 | $12.38 | $16.98 |
Where South Dakota sits
South Dakota is in the West North Central census division.
States next to South Dakota on price
Also in West North Central
All 50 states and D.C., ranked
Open the calculator at 15.15¢/kWh
Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in South Dakota, home charger rebates in South Dakota, the extra EV registration fee in South Dakota, 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 South Dakota
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in South Dakota?
About $4.17 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 15.15¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $13.62 for its full 327-mile range. The five EVs in the table run $3.68 to $4.76 per 100 miles.
Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in South Dakota?
Yes, at home: $4.17 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $14.04 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $9.80 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $4.212 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 51.06¢/kWh.
Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in South Dakota?
Yes. $14.85 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh (Paren, U.S. average) is more than the gas SUV’s $14.04 and $10.68 more than home charging.
Do South Dakota utilities offer EV charging rates?
AFDC lists Black Hills Energy, Otter Tail Power, and Xcel Energy 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 South Dakota?
Black Hills Energy charger rebate: Up to $500 for a qualifying Wi-Fi-connected Level 2 charger. Buy, install and apply by Dec. 31, 2026. Otter Tail Power charger rebate: $500 for a Level 2 charger on a qualifying off-peak rate.
How many public EV chargers are there in South Dakota?
The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 114 public charging locations in South Dakota with 330 ports: 173 Level 2 and 157 DC fast. AFDC counts about 3,000 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 9.1 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: South Dakota January 18.4°F, July 72.6°F (1991–2020 averages).
- AAA, cold weather and EV range (Feb. 7, 2019).
- EIA state generation data, 2024: wind 57.8%, hydropower 22%, natural gas 10.8%, coal 7.5%.