Cost to Charge an EV in California
The residential electricity rate in California is 33.35¢/kWh, 77% above the national average. At that rate, charging a typical EV at home costs about $95/month.
Residential average for March 2026, the most recent month EIA reports. Updated June 2026.
What it costs to charge a typical EV in California
$20.01
Full charge (60 kWh battery)
about 210 miles of range
9.5¢
Per mile
at 3.5 mi/kWh
$95
Typical month (1,000 mi)
286 kWh
$1,143
Per year
12,000 miles
How we get these numbers
We use the same formula as our cost article: monthly miles divided by efficiency, times the electricity rate.
(1,000 mi ÷ 3.5 mi/kWh) × 33.35¢/kWh = $95/month
- Rate in California: 33.35¢/kWh (residential average)
- Efficiency: 3.5 mi/kWh, a typical passenger EV
- Driving: 1,000 miles/month, near the US average
Figures assume no charging loss, to match the article and keep the math clear. Real-world AC charging adds roughly 10%. For the same miles, a 30 mpg gas car at $4.50/gallon (Q2 2026) would run about $150/month, so charging at home saves roughly $55/month here. Run your own numbers in the calculator.
How California compares
California's 33.35¢/kWh is 77% above the national average of 18.83¢/kWh (March 2026). Over the past 12 months it has averaged 32.84¢/kWh, so a single month is not an outlier.
Rates are a residential blended average. Your own bill depends on your utility and rate plan; many utilities offer cheaper overnight time-of-use rates that cut EV charging costs further. See every state's rate.
Next steps
Home charging cost calculator
Plug in your own mileage, efficiency, and rate plan, including time-of-use.
California EV charging guide
Utilities, incentives, time-of-use rates, and policy for California.
What home charging actually costs
The full editorial breakdown: hardware, installation, and electricity.
Sources & method
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: residential electricity retail prices (Open Data API, electricity/retail-sales)Retrieved Jun 2026
Rate shown is the residential average retail price EIA reports for California (March 2026). Cost figures use 3.5 mi/kWh efficiency and 1,000 miles/month; see the worked example above for the full method. We never estimate a rate: states EIA does not report do not get a page. How we source our data.
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