Cost to charge an EV in Iowa
Iowa residential electricity runs 14.14 cents per kWh as of May 2026, which is 23 percent below the national average of 18.44 cents. That makes it the 9th cheapest of the 51 states and territories the EIA reports.
What it costs here
A full charge is battery size times your rate, plus the 12 percent a car draws from the wall beyond what the battery holds. Every cost below uses Iowa's own rate. Range is the one estimate on this page: it assumes 30 kWh per 100 miles, the EPA's measured average, so a car more or less efficient than average will differ.
| Battery capacity | Full charge | Range added |
|---|---|---|
| 40 kWh | $6.33 | about 150 miles |
| 60 kWh | $9.50 | about 220 miles |
| 75 kWh | $11.88 | about 280 miles |
| 100 kWh | $15.84 | about 370 miles |
| 131 kWh | $20.75 | about 490 miles |
Charging at home in Iowa costs $4.24 per 100 miles at 30 kWh per 100 miles, the EPA's measured figure for a typical electric car. That is energy measured at the wall, so it carries no separate loss factor.
By how much you drive
Charging at home in Iowa, by monthly mileage:
| Usage | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| 500 miles a month | $21.21 | $255 |
| 1,000 miles a month | $42.42 | $509 |
| 1,500 miles a month | $63.63 | $764 |
How Iowa compares
Driving 1,000 miles a month and charging at home costs $509 a year in Iowa. The same driving costs $445 in Idaho, the cheapest state at 12.35 cents, and $1,872 in Hawaii, the most expensive at 52.00 cents. Rates come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and are refreshed on the schedule described on the methodology page.
Charging cost questions
- How much does it cost to charge an EV in Iowa?
- At 14.14 cents per kWh, a full charge on a 75 kWh battery costs $11.88, and driving costs $4.24 per 100 miles. At 1,000 miles a month that is $42.42 a month and $509 a year. A smaller 40 kWh battery costs $6.33 to fill and a 131 kWh battery $20.75.
- Is electricity expensive in Iowa?
- Iowa residential electricity is 14.14 cents per kWh, 23 percent below the national average of 18.44 cents. That ranks it 9th of the 51 states and territories the EIA reports, counting from the cheapest.
- How does that compare with the cheapest and most expensive states?
- Driving 1,000 miles a month costs $509 a year in Iowa, $445 in Idaho and $1,872 in Hawaii. The spread between the cheapest and most expensive state is $1,427 a year on identical driving.
- Why is a full charge more than the battery's rated size times the rate?
- Because a car draws more from the wall than the battery ends up holding: conversion and thermal losses run about 12 percent, so a 75 kWh battery pulls roughly 84 kWh to fill. The per 100 miles figure above already accounts for this, because the EPA measures its 30 kWh per 100 miles at the wall rather than at the battery.
- Where does this rate come from?
- The U.S. Energy Information Administration's residential electricity price series, for May 2026. It is an average across the state, so your own utility's rate and any time of use plan will differ. Sourcing and refresh cadence are described on the methodology page.
Prices and specifications verified August 22, 2026, and re-checked weekly after that. How these numbers are checked.
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