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EV vs gas cost in Iowa: $1,043 a year saved at 12,000 miles
With Iowa electricity at 14.20¢/kWh and regular gasoline at $4.14/gal, a typical EV (0.3 kWh/mile, charged 80% at home) costs about 6.1¢ per mile to run versus 14.8¢ per mile for a 28 mpg gas car. That beats gas by $1,043 a year at 12,000 miles. Iowa ranks #15 of 51 (50 states + DC) for annual savings and #13 for lowest residential electricity price.
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What the Iowa numbers say
- Electricity: Iowa residential average is 14.20¢/kWh year-to-date through July 2026, 22% below the U.S. average of 18.19¢. It is up 5.0% from the same period in 2025. Latest single month (July 2026): 15.99¢.
- Gasoline: $4.14/gal (EIA regional series: Midwest (PADD2)), up $1.34 from a year ago. The U.S. average is $4.28.
- Cost-equivalent MPG: a gas car would need about 68 mpg to cost the same per mile as this EV in Iowa.
- If prices move: at 20% cheaper gas ($3.32) the yearly EV saving would be $688; at 20% higher electricity (17.04¢) it would be $962.
What this leaves out: purchase price, tax credits, insurance, maintenance, depreciation, home charger installation, time-of-use rates and cold-weather range loss. Your utility's own rate may differ from the state average. See the methodology.
Cost to run common things in Iowa
- Space heater (1,500 W): $0.21 per hour
- Electric blanket (200 W): $0.23 per 8-hour night
- Window air conditioner (1,000 W): $0.14 per hour
- Electric clothes dryer: $0.43 per load
- Dishwasher: $0.14 per load
- Refrigerator: $64 per year
- Gaming PC (300 W under load): $0.04 per hour
- EV home charging (per 100 miles): $4.26 per 100 miles
Heating this winter? In Iowa a heat pump costs about $16.65 per million BTU of heat vs $10.91 for a gas furnace and $19.61 for propane. Heat pump vs furnace in Iowa.