How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV in Washington?

Washington’s residential average was 14.63¢ per kWh in August 2026, the 12th-lowest residential average among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Winters are moderate, with a statewide January average of 32°F, but cold mornings still trim range; AAA measured a 41% loss at 20°F with the heater on. In 2024, hydroelectric dams produced 59.3% of the electricity generated in Washington, with natural gas next at 17.7% (EIA). The state’s own program (Washington EV Instant Rebate) is closed, so the money left is at the utility level, such as the Tacoma Power charging credit.

By — Power plant & electrical maintenance tech · Last updated

One Amazon link (a home charger) below; the costs come from public data. Disclosure.

The short answer: A 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD costs about $4.02 per 100 miles to charge at home in Washington, and $13.16 for the energy to drive its 327-mile EPA range. That uses the August 2026 residential average of 14.63¢/kWh, up from 13.65¢/kWh in August 2025 and about 19% below the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢/kWh. The same 100 miles cost about $17.57 in a 30-mpg gas SUV at AAA’s Washington average of $5.270 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 Washington: cost per 100 miles

Washington’s regular gas averaged $5.270 a gallon on October 28, 2026, the 4th-most expensive among the 50 states and the District (AAA).

EPA combined ratings; yearly = per-100-mile cost × 12,000 miles.
How you fuelMathPer 100 mi12,000 mi/yrSource
2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, charged at home14.63¢/kWh × 27.50 kWh$4.02$482EPA · EIA
2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, public DC fast$0.540/kWh × 27.50 kWh$14.85$1,782Paren, U.S. average
2026 Toyota RAV4 (2.5 L hybrid, 2WD)$5.270/gal ÷ 43 mpg$12.25$1,471EPA · AAA
2026 Honda CR-V FWD (1.5 L turbo, gas)$5.270/gal ÷ 30 mpg$17.57$2,108EPA · AAA

Checked on the Model Y: 27.50 kWh/100 mi × $0.1463/kWh = 4.0232, which rounds to $4.02 per 100 miles. The gas SUV is 100 ÷ 30 mpg × $5.270 = 17.5653, or $17.57. The break-even electricity price is $17.57 ÷ 27.50 kWh = 63.87¢ per kWh.

Utility EV and time-of-use prices in Washington

Prices quoted from each utility’s tariff or rate page. Fixed charges, riders and taxes are extra unless the line says otherwise.

For the 27.50 kWh a Model Y uses per 100 miles: about $3.21 at Puget Sound Energy’s off-peak price (11.6616¢); about $2.21 at Seattle City Light’s off-peak price (8.05¢). That is before fixed charges and riders; the state average works out to $4.02.

AFDC’s utility records (program types, no prices) list 1 utility in Washington with an EV rate or managed charging:

Have an off-peak price? Put it in the calculator.

EV rebates and tax credits in Washington

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 Washington

The AFDC counted 9,182 public charging ports at 3,225 locations in Washington on October 28, 2026: 6,739 Level 2 and 2,428 DC fast, plus 15 Level 1. AFDC also counts about 236,400 battery-electric vehicles registered in Washington through 2025 (3.4% of light-duty registrations). That is about 25.7 EVs per public port, against 21.7 nationally, the 10th-most EVs per port among the 50 states and the District.

Paren’s Q3 2026 report has no Washington 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 Washington

Home at 14.63¢/kWh; public DC at $0.540/kWh. Full charge = EPA wall energy for the rated range.
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 $4.02 $13.16 $14.85
2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD 24.30 321 mi $3.56 $11.41 $13.12
2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD 31.08 319 mi $4.55 $14.50 $16.78
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD 30.00 318 mi $4.39 $13.96 $16.20
2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD 31.44 260 mi $4.60 $11.96 $16.98

Where Washington sits

Washington is in the Pacific Contiguous census division.

States next to Washington on price

Also in Pacific Contiguous

All 50 states and D.C., ranked

Open the calculator at 14.63¢/kWh

Related: what a Level 2 charger costs to install in Washington, home charger rebates in Washington, the extra EV registration fee in Washington, 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 Amazon

FAQ: charging an EV in Washington

How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Washington?

About $4.02 per 100 miles in a 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD at 14.63¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), and $13.16 for its full 327-mile range. On Puget Sound Energy’s off-peak price of 11.6616¢ it falls to about $3.21 per 100 miles before fixed charges.

Is charging an EV cheaper than buying gas in Washington?

Yes, at home: $4.02 per 100 miles for the Model Y versus $17.57 for a 30-mpg gas SUV and $12.25 for a 43-mpg hybrid, with regular at $5.270 (AAA, October 28, 2026). The SUV only wins above 63.87¢/kWh.

Is public DC fast charging more expensive than gas in Washington?

No. $14.85 per 100 miles at $0.540/kWh (Paren, U.S. average) is less than the gas SUV’s $17.57 and $10.83 more than home charging.

Do Washington utilities offer EV charging rates?

Puget Sound Energy, Schedule 307 time-of-use: Off-peak 11.6616¢/kWh; on-peak 54.0864¢ in winter and 34.3605¢ in summer (Oct. 1, 2026 price summary). Seattle City Light, Time-of-use (Seattle): Off-peak (midnight to 6 a.m.) 8.05¢/kWh, mid-peak 14.09¢, peak 16.10¢.

What EV rebates or tax credits are available in Washington?

Washington EV Instant Rebate (closed): No instant rebates are being issued now. Commerce is seeking a firm to run a new $5 million point-of-sale EV rebate program, with proposals due Nov. 20, 2026. Tacoma Power charging credit: $400 bill credit for a Level 2 charger, smart splitter, wiring or 240-volt outlet; renters qualify. Clark Public Utilities charger rebate: $500 for an ENERGY STAR connected Level 2 charger, or $100 for other Level 2 equipment.

How many public EV chargers are there in Washington?

The AFDC station count for October 28, 2026 shows 3,225 public charging locations in Washington with 9,182 ports: 6,739 Level 2 and 2,428 DC fast, plus 15 Level 1. AFDC counts about 236,400 battery-electric vehicles registered there through 2025, or about 25.7 EVs per public port.

More sources

Electricity, gas, vehicle and fast-charging sources are linked in the tables above.