EV Charging Cost in California (2026)
Driving 12,000 miles a year on a typical EV (3.5 mi/kWh efficiency) costs about $1,144/year in California— roughly $95/month — at the state's average residential rate of 33.35¢/kWh.
California has no broadly-available new-EV state rebate in 2026 (CVRP closed in 2023); remaining programs (Clean Cars 4 All / Driving Clean Assistance) are income-qualified only, the HOV Clean Air Vehicle decal ended on 30 Sept 2025, but local utility rebates still apply.
33.35¢/kWh
Residential avg (EIA)
3,429 kWh
12,000 mi at 3.5 mi/kWh
$1,144
vs ~$2,000 for a 30 mpg gas car
Model-by-model charging cost in California
Estimated using each EV's claimed range × battery capacity to derive efficiency.
| EV | Battery | Range | Annual cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Motor India Ioniq 5 | 72.6 kWh | 392 mi | $741 | Specs → |
| BYD India Atto 3 | 60.48 kWh | 324 mi | $748 | Specs → |
| Tesla Model 3 | 60 kWh | 319 mi | $753 | Specs → |
| Hyundai Motor India Ioniq 6 | 77.4 kWh | 382 mi | $812 | Specs → |
| Kia India EV6 | 84.4 kWh | 412 mi | $820 | Specs → |
| VinFast VF e34 | 42 kWh | 198 mi | $851 | Specs → |
| BYD India e6 | 71.7 kWh | 323 mi | $888 | Specs → |
| Tesla Model Y | 75 kWh | 331 mi | $906 | Specs → |
| BYD India Seal | 82.56 kWh | 360 mi | $917 | Specs → |
| BMW India iX1 | 64.7 kWh | 273 mi | $947 | Specs → |
| Kia India EV9 | 99.8 kWh | 336 mi | $1,188 | Specs → |
| Volvo Car India XC40 Recharge | 78 kWh | 260 mi | $1,202 | Specs → |
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