Cost to Charge a BMW i5 in California

$32.93 for a full charge at 34.74¢/kWh — $10.04 per 100 miles, about $1,205 a year.

BMW i5 in California

$32.93 for a full charge

Per 100 miles: $10.04
Per mile: $0.10
Per year: $1,205
vs petrol / yr: $429

Electricity per year
Petrol per year

The full picture

Charging cost breakdown for a BMW i5
Item	Energy	Cost
This charge	94.8 kWh	$32.93
Full charge (0–100%)	94.8 kWh	$32.93
Per 100 miles	28.9 kWh	$10.04
Per year (12,000 mi)	3468.0 kWh	$1,205
Same year on petrol (30 mpg)	—	$1,634
Difference	—	$429

What charging actually costs here

Filling a BMW i5 from empty in California costs $32.93. The car draws 94.8 kWh from the wall for a full 328-mile charge, and California residential electricity averages 34.74¢ per kWh. That works out at $10.04 per 100 miles, or $0.10 a mile.

California is more expensive than average: 34.74¢ against a national mean of 19.42¢, which ranks it 50 of 51 for electricity price. The same car costs $12.43 to fill in Nevada and $49.97 in Hawaii — a 4.0× spread across the country for identical driving.

Against a petrol car doing 30 mpg at $4.09 a gallon, electricity here is 1.4× cheaper per mile: $10.04 versus $13.62 per 100 miles. Over 12,000 miles a year that is $429 saved.

Similar EVs in California

Charging cost of comparable EVs in California
Vehicle	Per 100 mi	Full charge	Per year
BMW iX	28.6 kWh	$43.12	$1,192
Fiat 500e	29.2 kWh	$15.11	$1,217
Audi Q4 e-tron	29.4 kWh	$29.42	$1,226
Hyundai Ioniq 6	28 kWh	$30.74	$1,167
Subaru Solterra	28 kWh	$28.01	$1,167
Toyota bZ	28 kWh	$28.01	$1,167

The same car in nearby-priced states

Charging a BMW i5 in states with similar electricity prices
State	¢/kWh	Full charge	Per year
New York	29.49	$27.95	$1,023
Maine	29.59	$28.05	$1,026
Massachusetts	29.61	$28.07	$1,027
Hawaii	52.72	$49.97	$1,828

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to charge a BMW i5 in California?

$32.93 for a full charge from empty. The car needs 94.8 kWh at the wall and California residential electricity averages 34.74¢ per kWh.

How much does a BMW i5 cost per mile in California?

About $0.10 a mile, or $10.04 per 100 miles. Over 12,000 miles a year that is roughly $1,205 of electricity.

Is charging a BMW i5 cheaper than petrol in California?

Yes — 1.4 times cheaper per mile. Electricity costs $10.04 per 100 miles here against $13.62 for a 30 mpg petrol car at $4.09 a gallon, a saving of about $429 a year.

How long does a full charge last?

The EPA rates the BMW i5 at 328 miles combined. Cold weather, motorway speeds and a loaded car all reduce that; the EPA number is a standardised test, not a guarantee.

Does this include charging losses?

Yes. The EPA's 28.9 kWh/100 mi figure is measured at the wall socket, so the energy lost in the charger and cabling is already in the number. No extra efficiency factor is applied.

Vehicle data: EPA fueleconomy.gov, model years 2025-2027. Electricity: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A, residential, June 2026. Petrol: EIA weekly retail gasoline price, 24 August 2026.

Estimates for informational purposes only. Real charging cost depends on your tariff, time of use, charger efficiency, temperature, driving style and state of charge. EPA figures are a standardised test result, not a promise about your car.