EV Charging Cost in California
Home electricity here averages 34.74¢/kWh, 50 of 51 nationally. That makes a full charge anywhere from $33.70 (Lucid Air) to $70.59 (GMC Hummer EV Pickup), and running costs of $963–$2,664 a year.
Every EV in California, cheapest to run first
| Vehicle | kWh/100 mi | Full charge | Per 100 mi | Per year | vs petrol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Air | 23.1 | $33.70 | $8.02 | $963 | $671 |
| Tesla Model 3 | 26.4 | $31.73 | $9.17 | $1,101 | $533 |
| Tesla Model S | 27.1 | $38.60 | $9.41 | $1,130 | $504 |
| Tesla Model Y | 27.5 | $31.24 | $9.55 | $1,146 | $488 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 6 | 28 | $30.74 | $9.73 | $1,167 | $467 |
| Subaru Solterra | 28 | $28.01 | $9.73 | $1,167 | $467 |
| Toyota bZ | 28 | $28.01 | $9.73 | $1,167 | $467 |
| BMW iX | 28.6 | $43.12 | $9.94 | $1,192 | $442 |
| BMW i5 | 28.9 | $32.93 | $10.04 | $1,205 | $429 |
| Fiat 500e | 29.2 | $15.11 | $10.14 | $1,217 | $417 |
| Audi Q4 e-tron | 29.4 | $29.42 | $10.21 | $1,226 | $408 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 29.8 | $30.13 | $10.35 | $1,242 | $392 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 30 | $33.14 | $10.42 | $1,251 | $383 |
| Nissan Leaf | 30.4 | $15.74 | $10.56 | $1,267 | $367 |
| Genesis GV60 | 30.6 | $32.53 | $10.63 | $1,276 | $358 |
| BMW i4 | 30.8 | $26.86 | $10.70 | $1,284 | $350 |
| Lucid Gravity | 31.1 | $48.62 | $10.80 | $1,297 | $338 |
| Volvo EX30 | 31.1 | $27.33 | $10.80 | $1,297 | $338 |
| Tesla Model X | 32.2 | $39.38 | $11.19 | $1,342 | $292 |
| Audi Q6 e-tron | 32.5 | $36.69 | $11.29 | $1,355 | $279 |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV | 32.6 | $34.77 | $11.33 | $1,359 | $275 |
| Polestar 2 | 33.5 | $32.35 | $11.64 | $1,397 | $237 |
| Cadillac Optiq | 34 | $35.79 | $11.81 | $1,417 | $217 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS | 34 | $46.07 | $11.81 | $1,417 | $217 |
| Honda Prologue | 34.1 | $34.83 | $11.85 | $1,422 | $212 |
| Nissan Ariya | 34.4 | $34.54 | $11.95 | $1,434 | $200 |
| Mini Cooper SE | 34.6 | $25.96 | $12.02 | $1,442 | $192 |
| Porsche Macan Electric | 34.6 | $37.14 | $12.02 | $1,442 | $192 |
| Lexus RZ | 35.3 | $28.08 | $12.26 | $1,472 | $162 |
| Chevrolet Blazer EV | 35.7 | $35.10 | $12.40 | $1,488 | $146 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQE | 36 | $38.52 | $12.51 | $1,501 | $133 |
| Jeep Wagoneer S | 36.2 | $36.97 | $12.58 | $1,509 | $125 |
| Cadillac Lyriq | 36.8 | $41.68 | $12.78 | $1,534 | $100 |
| Volvo EX90 | 36.8 | $35.28 | $12.78 | $1,534 | $100 |
| Genesis Electrified GV70 | 37.3 | $32.40 | $12.96 | $1,555 | $79 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 37.4 | $36.38 | $12.99 | $1,559 | $75 |
| Polestar 3 | 37.5 | $40.65 | $13.03 | $1,563 | $71 |
| Acura ZDX | 37.7 | $42.30 | $13.10 | $1,572 | $62 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 9 | 38 | $42.24 | $13.20 | $1,584 | $50 |
| Porsche Taycan | 39 | $39.70 | $13.55 | $1,626 | $8 |
| Volkswagen ID. Buzz | 40.8 | $33.17 | $14.17 | $1,701 | -$67 |
| Kia EV6 | 41 | $32.90 | $14.24 | $1,709 | -$75 |
| Tesla Cybertruck | 42.9 | $48.44 | $14.90 | $1,788 | -$154 |
| Kia EV9 | 43 | $38.84 | $14.94 | $1,793 | -$159 |
| Rivian R1S | 44.4 | $57.69 | $15.42 | $1,851 | -$217 |
| Rivian R1T | 44.4 | $57.69 | $15.42 | $1,851 | -$217 |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV | 47.8 | $70.41 | $16.61 | $1,993 | -$359 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 49.4 | $41.19 | $17.16 | $2,059 | -$425 |
| GMC Sierra EV | 49.5 | $70.50 | $17.20 | $2,064 | -$430 |
| GMC Hummer EV Pickup | 63.9 | $70.59 | $22.20 | $2,664 | -$1,030 |
Annual figures over 12,000 miles. Petrol comparison at 30 mpg and $4.09 a gallon.
What this means in California
At 34.74 cents per kWh, California is 15.32 cents above the national average. The same Lucid Air that costs $33.70 to fill here costs $12.72 in Nevada and $51.15 in Hawaii.
California is one of the places where the sum does not always favour electricity. 10 of these 50 cars cost more per mile than a 30 mpg petrol equivalent at the flat residential rate. The efficient end of the range still wins comfortably — the Lucid Air saves about $671 a year — but a large electric truck here is not a running-cost decision.
These are flat residential averages. Most utilities offer a time-of-use plan where overnight charging costs considerably less, and public fast charging costs considerably more. Each vehicle page lets you enter your own rate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an electric car in California?
Which EV is cheapest to run in California?
Is an EV cheaper than petrol in California?
Why is electricity so expensive in California?
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.