Florida EV vs gas · Gas October 12, 2026 · Electricity rates 2025
Yes, by a lot. On Tampa Electric's average home rate, charging an EV costs the same per mile as gas at $1.40 a gallon. Gas in the Tampa Bay area averaged $4.01 on October 12, 2026, so 1,000 miles a month costs about $52 to charge versus $148 in gas: roughly $97 a month back.
Your electric utility sets what charging costs, so here are the numbers for each one serving Tampa.
Serves Tampa and most of Hillsborough County
Average home rate 17.3 cents per kWh (2025). Charging costs the same per mile as gas at $1.40 a gallon: about $52 for 1,000 miles versus $148 in gas.
We found no current EV rebate or charging credit from Tampa Electric in our latest review of Florida programs.
Serves St. Petersburg, Clearwater and most of Pinellas County
Average home rate 18.4 cents per kWh (2025). Charging costs the same per mile as gas at $1.49 a gallon: about $55 for 1,000 miles versus $148 in gas.
Some outlying areas are served by an electric co-op instead.
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 Tampa, gas would have to fall below $1.40 a gallon.
Why an EV opts you out of gas spikes · Is an EV cheaper than gas right now? Every state
Florida does not charge EV owners an extra registration fee, so the full $1,158 a year in fuel savings at 12,000 miles stays yours.
Florida has no state EV rebate and still no EV registration fee. The money is small utility perks: FPL charger plans, Duke $7.50/mo off-peak credits, OUC $200.
Florida EV incentives · EV fees by 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 each utility's average residential rate, which includes its fixed monthly charges. An overnight or EV rate is often cheaper than that average, and public fast charging costs much more. Treat this as the honest average, not your bill.
Sources: EIA Form 861, 2025 (each utility’s residential revenue divided by residential sales), AAA metro gas price averages (regular unleaded), October 12, 2026
Use the savings calculator or see which EVs fit how you drive.
Yes. Charging at home on Tampa Electric (17.3 cents per kWh, 2025) costs about $52 per 1,000 miles. The same miles in a 27 mpg car cost about $148 at the $4.01 Tampa gas average on October 12, 2026.
About $1.40 to $1.49 a gallon, depending on your utility: $1.40 on Tampa Electric and $1.49 on Duke Energy Florida. That is what a 27 mpg car would need to pay to match the cost per mile of charging at home.
At home, about $52 per 1,000 miles on Tampa Electric (17.3 cents per kWh) or $55 per 1,000 miles on Duke Energy Florida (18.4 cents per kWh), for a typical EV that uses 30 kWh per 100 miles. Public fast charging costs much more per kWh than home charging, so these numbers assume you charge at home most of the time.
Florida has no state EV purchase rebate right now, but utilities here add their own: Duke Energy Florida: Monthly bill credit for off-peak Level 2 charging (~$7.50/mo); Duke Energy Florida: Charger Prep Credit (up to $819). Check the utility's page before you buy; programs fill up and change.
Thinking of buying? Run any dealer quote through the free Deal-Checker before you sign.