All states · Gas October 6, 2026 · Electricity July 2026
Charging an EV at home in California costs the same per mile as buying gas at $2.72 a gallon. Regular gas averaged $6.38 on October 6, 2026, so 1,000 miles costs about $101 to charge and $236 in gas: roughly $135 a month back in your pocket, or $1,624 a year.
California has 10 EV incentives still open (state, utility and charger money), last reviewed October 2026. See the California incentives.
By city, utility by utility: Is an EV cheaper than gas in Los Angeles? · Is an EV cheaper than gas in Riverside? · Is an EV cheaper than gas in San Francisco? · Is an EV cheaper than gas in San Diego? · Is an EV cheaper than gas in Sacramento? · Is an EV cheaper than gas in San Jose?
Regular gas averages $6.38 a gallon (AAA, October 6, 2026), 46% above the $4.37 national average, the 51st cheapest of 51. A 27 mpg car burns about 444 gallons over 12,000 miles, roughly $2,834 a year.
Gas would have to fall to about $2.72 a gallon before that car costs less per mile than charging at home in California.
Home electricity averages 33.6 cents per kWh (EIA, July 2026), 84% above the 18.3-cent national average. That makes California the 50th cheapest of 51 places to charge at home (2nd most expensive).
The rate is up 2.9% from a year ago (32.7 to 33.6 cents). At today's rate, 12,000 miles a year costs about $1,210 to charge at home, the same per mile as a gas car that gets 63 mpg.
California charges EV owners an extra $121/yr at registration, the state's answer to lost gas-tax revenue. Against the $1,624 a year you save on fuel at 12,000 miles, a fee of $121 takes 7%, leaving about $1,503 a year.
See every state's EV fee, ranked
Same 1,000 miles a month, same car, each state's own prices. California saves $135 a month.
Gas prices jumped in 2026 when the war with Iran disrupted oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Home electricity is priced by utilities under state regulators and moves far more slowly, so the gap tends to widen when gas spikes. For a 27 mpg car to cost less per mile than charging at home in California, gas would have to fall below $2.72 a gallon.
Why an EV opts you out of gas spikes · Is an EV cheaper than gas right now? Every state
We assume 1,000 miles a month, a typical new EV that uses 30 kWh per 100 miles, a 27 mpg gas car, and home charging at California's average residential rate. Your own miles, car and utility will move these numbers, so treat this as the honest average, not your bill.
Sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (residential average), AAA state gas price averages (regular unleaded)
Use the savings calculator, check California EV incentives, or see which EVs fit how you drive.
California's average residential electricity rate is 33.6 cents per kWh (EIA, July 2026). A typical new EV uses about 30 kWh per 100 miles, so 100 miles costs about $10.08 and 1,000 miles costs about $101 when you charge at home.
Yes, to fuel. Charging at home costs the same per mile as gas at $2.72 a gallon. With regular gas at $6.38 a gallon (AAA, October 6, 2026), 1,000 miles in a 27 mpg gas car costs about $236, versus $101 for an EV. That is roughly $135 a month, or $1,624 a year.
About $2.72 a gallon. Below that price, a 27 mpg gas car costs less per mile than charging at home at California's average rate. Gas is $6.38 today, so home charging currently costs about the same per mile as a gas car that gets 63 mpg.
California adds an EV registration fee of $121/yr. It is the state's answer to lost gas-tax revenue, so include it when you compare yearly costs. Our California incentives page covers it along with the rebates that are still available.
They assume home charging at the state average residential rate, a typical new EV and a 27 mpg gas car. Public fast charging usually costs more than charging at home, and some utilities offer cheaper overnight rates. Your own miles, car and utility matter, so run your own numbers in the savings calculator.
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