Drivers are watching prices again. Gas has climbed through late February and early March 2026, and many families feel it each time they fill up. At the same time, electricity rates are higher than a few years ago, yet they move more slowly than gas. So, is it cheaper to drive on gasoline or on electricity right now?
National data from early March 2026 put regular gasoline around the mid‑$3 range per gallon, roughly $3.25-$3.45, after a jump of close to 25–30 cents in about a week. Analysts link that move to higher oil prices and fresh tension in energy‑producing regions.
Prices change a lot by state. On much of the West Coast, regular gas often sits well above $4 per gallon, and in parts of California it reaches beyond $5. In many Southern and Midwestern states, drivers see prices closer to the low‑$3 band. So the same car can cost very different amounts to run, depending on where it lives.
Take a gas car that averages 25 miles per gallon. At $3.45 per gallon, driving 100 miles burns about 4 gallons and costs around $13.80. At $3.10 per gallon, that drops to about $12.40, but at $4.50 it climbs to roughly $18. Over 13,500 miles a year, those differences add up to hundreds of dollars.
What home electricity costs for EVs
Electricity rates moved higher too, yet they tend to change more slowly than gas. National numbers for 2025 put average residential prices near 18–19 cents per kilowatt‑hour. Some states sit far above that, including California and several New England states, where home rates often land between 30 and 35 cents per kWh. Many Midwestern and Southern states pay closer to 12–15 cents.
Modern electric cars use energy in kilowatt‑hours. A lot of current EVs consume around 27–30 kWh to cover 100 miles, based on EPA ratings and independent cost studies. So at 19 cents per kWh, 100 miles uses about 28 kWh and costs a little over $5 in electricity. At 15 cents per kWh, the same trip is closer to $4. At 30 cents, the bill for 100 miles can reach $8-$9.
Put against gas, that makes a clear gap. A 25 mpg gas car at today’s national averages spends about 13-14 cents per mile on fuel. An EV using around 28 kWh per 100 miles spends about 5-6 cents per mile to charge at home.
How state differences change the balance
In places where gas is expensive and electricity is close to average, electric driving becomes very attractive. States like Washington, Oregon and California combine higher pump prices with moderate or average residential rates. So a driver who charges mostly at home can cut energy cost per mile by 70% or more versus a typical gas car.
There are states where electricity is expensive and gas hovers closer to the national mean. Parts of New England and Hawaii fall into that group, with power prices above 30 or even 40 cents per kWh. In those markets, the advantage for EVs narrows, and very efficient gasoline or hybrid models can come closer on running cost. Yet most side‑by‑side studies still find a home‑charged EV slightly ahead on a full‑year budget.
Public fast charging is a different story. Many fast chargers bill higher rates than home service, and in some cases the cost per mile can get close to what a gasoline car pays. So drivers who rely heavily on fast chargers instead of home or work outlets may see less savings than the headline national averages suggest.
What this looks like over a year
If we take 13,500 miles per year as a typical U.S. figure, the math becomes easier to see. At 13-14 cents per mile for fuel, a gas car spends roughly $1,750-$1,900 per year. At about 5-6 cents per mile, a home‑charged EV spends around $700-$800 on electricity. That gap is close to $900-$1,100 per year for many drivers, depending on state and vehicle.
Over five years, energy savings alone can reach several thousand dollars. Some studies add that EVs often have lower routine maintenance costs, since they do not need oil changes and have fewer moving parts. Gas cars still offer quick refueling and long range in many models, and some drivers value those traits more than lower running costs. So the better choice depends on driving patterns, home charging access and how much risk a buyer is ready to take on newer technology.
State by state cost: Tesla Model Y vs Honda CR‑V Hybrid
| State | Electricity rate (¢/kWh) | Model Y full charge (75 kWh) | Gas price ($/gal) | CR‑V full tank (14 gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 41.62 | $31.21 | $4.523 | $63.32 |
| California | 34.71 | $26.03 | $5.204 | $72.86 |
| Rhode Island | 31.15 | $23.36 | $3.325 | $46.55 |
| Massachusetts | 30.88 | $23.16 | $3.313 | $46.38 |
| Maine | 30.39 | $22.79 | $3.411 | $47.75 |
| New York | 27.39 | $20.54 | $3.399 | $47.59 |
| New Hampshire | 26.28 | $19.71 | $3.351 | $46.91 |
| Alaska | 25.54 | $19.16 | $3.918 | $54.85 |
| Connecticut | 25.30 | $18.98 | $3.367 | $47.14 |
| Vermont | 23.22 | $17.41 | $3.361 | $47.05 |
| New Jersey | 22.98 | $17.23 | $3.338 | $46.73 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.08 | $15.06 | $3.589 | $50.25 |
| Maryland | 19.57 | $14.68 | $3.492 | $48.89 |
| Michigan | 19.53 | $14.65 | $3.581 | $50.13 |
| Wisconsin | 17.84 | $13.38 | $3.151 | $44.11 |
| District of Columbia | 17.57 | $13.18 | $3.507 | $49.10 |
| Ohio | 17.31 | $12.98 | $3.433 | $48.06 |
| Delaware | 17.12 | $12.84 | $3.367 | $47.14 |
| Illinois | 17.07 | $12.80 | $3.524 | $49.34 |
| Colorado | 16.12 | $12.09 | $3.411 | $47.75 |
| Alabama | 16.01 | $12.01 | $3.048 | $42.67 |
| Indiana | 15.91 | $11.93 | $3.476 | $48.66 |
| Texas | 15.87 | $11.90 | $3.129 | $43.81 |
| Arizona | 15.46 | $11.60 | $3.859 | $54.03 |
| Virginia | 15.27 | $11.45 | $3.300 | $46.20 |
| Florida | 15.02 | $11.27 | $3.494 | $48.92 |
| Minnesota | 14.96 | $11.22 | $3.252 | $45.53 |
| Oregon | 14.94 | $11.21 | $4.205 | $58.87 |
| South Carolina | 14.82 | $11.12 | $3.164 | $44.30 |
| New Mexico | 14.66 | $10.99 | $3.287 | $46.02 |
| West Virginia | 14.61 | $10.96 | $3.389 | $47.45 |
| Kansas | 14.43 | $10.82 | $2.922 | $40.91 |
| Mississippi | 14.16 | $10.62 | $3.005 | $42.07 |
| Georgia | 13.67 | $10.25 | $3.231 | $45.23 |
| North Carolina | 13.47 | $10.10 | $3.268 | $45.75 |
| Washington | 13.33 | $10.00 | $4.630 | $64.82 |
| Kentucky | 13.22 | $9.91 | $3.131 | $43.83 |
| Utah | 12.99 | $9.74 | $3.180 | $44.52 |
| Tennessee | 12.87 | $9.65 | $3.035 | $42.49 |
| Nevada | 12.83 | $9.62 | $4.212 | $58.97 |
| Wyoming | 12.83 | $9.62 | $3.065 | $42.91 |
| Montana | 12.77 | $9.58 | $3.136 | $43.90 |
| Iowa | 12.60 | $9.45 | $3.175 | $44.45 |
| Louisiana | 12.56 | $9.42 | $3.044 | $42.62 |
| South Dakota | 12.51 | $9.38 | $3.057 | $42.80 |
| Arkansas | 12.33 | $9.25 | $2.993 | $41.90 |
| Oklahoma | 12.25 | $9.19 | $2.972 | $41.61 |
| Missouri | 11.91 | $8.93 | $2.989 | $41.85 |
| Idaho | 11.87 | $8.90 | $3.242 | $45.39 |
| Nebraska | 11.57 | $8.68 | $3.043 | $42.60 |
| North Dakota | 11.02 | $8.27 | $3.041 | $42.57 |
Gas prices are rising again in early 2026, and they can swing sharply from week to week. Residential electricity is higher than before the pandemic, yet it remains more stable. For drivers who can plug in at home most nights, current data point clearly to electric miles as the cheaper way to travel in the United States.
For people who depend mostly on gas or on public fast charging, the picture is more mixed, but the cost gap at national averages still leans toward electric.
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