What does it cost to charge an EV in Iowa?
At Iowa’s average electricity rate of 14¢/kWh, a typical driver (13,500 mi/yr, mostly home charging) spends about $781 a year — roughly 5.8¢ per mile, and around $869 less than the same miles in a 27 MPG gas car. Run your own numbers below.
Independent estimate for guidance only. Time-of-use rates, your specific EV and public-charging habits will change the real figure.
Why Iowa charging costs what it does
Iowa homes pay about 14¢/kWh, which is 4.4¢ below the US average. Because home electricity is the main driver of EV running cost, that puts Iowa drivers toward the cheaper end for charging. Charging more at home (versus public fast-charging at $0.40–0.50/kWh) lowers it further.
Iowa electricity price trend
Average residential rate, monthly, May 2023 – Apr 2026. Down 3% over the period.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electric Power Monthly · range 11.78–15.58¢/kWh
A worked example for Iowa
Average driver: 13,500 miles a year, 3.3 mi/kWh, 85% charged at home.
Gas comparison: 27 MPG at $3.30/gal. Adjust everything in the calculator above.
Cut it further with solar
If you charge at home, your EV runs on whatever your roof or the grid supplies. Pairing an EV with rooftop solar can drop your effective charging cost well below the grid rate — see whether that maths works where you live with our Iowa solar payback calculator.