How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car in Iowa?

Each row uses the EPA combined efficiency of a model's main trim, measured at the wall, and Iowa's average price of 13.62 cents per kWh. The list runs from the most efficient to the least.

Source: U.S. EPA and DOE, fueleconomy.gov, read October 10, 2026, and U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data). Real efficiency changes with speed, weather and load, and your own plan may differ from the state average.

The table shows the price of gasoline at which a gas car costs the same per mile as the average electric model charged at home in Iowa. If gas near you costs more, charging at home is cheaper per mile.

Compared with the US average price, home charging in Iowa saves about $145 a year over 12,000 miles. Gas prices change weekly, so use the local price you see. To test your own car, use the EV charging cost calculator.

Source: DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, station counts by state, as of October 10, 2026. Counts include legacy chargers and exclude home charging. Homes come from EIA residential customers.

Public fast chargers usually cost more per kWh than home electricity, and prices vary by network, so budget for them separately. Our DC fast charging cost page shows what-if prices, and the Level 2 page covers charging at home or at work.

Some utilities charge less for electricity at night, which suits an EV that charges while you sleep. 8 Iowa utilities report a residential time-of-use program in the 2025 EIA filings. The largest are:

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data), dynamic pricing schedule. A reported program does not mean it is open to every customer or that it fits an EV. Ask the utility for current prices.

Read time-of-use rates explained, then test a plan against your habits with the time-of-use rate calculator.

Home charging costs follow the electric price, so states with close prices have close costs. These are the four states nearest to Iowa in 2025 average residential price.

Cost per mile is kWh per mile times price per kWh. We take kWh per 100 miles from EPA records for each model, which already include charging losses, and divide by 100. The price is the Iowa average residential price for 2025, which includes fixed charges spread over every kWh. The average of the 17 models is 33.4 kWh per 100 miles.