EV Charge At 13.42¢ per kWh, Tennessee is one of the cheapest places in the country to plug in: about $37 per 1,000 miles for a Tesla Model Y, or $0.037 a mile. A 30-mpg gas car spends roughly $144 on the same miles.
Updated October 25, 2026 · Electricity: EIA August 2026 · Gas: EIA week of October 12, 2026 · How we calculate
What Tennessee drivers pay to charge at home
| Vehicle (EPA efficiency) | Per 1,000 miles | Per year (12,000 mi) |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD (27.5 kWh/100 mi) | $37 | $443 |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV AWD (32.6 kWh/100 mi) | $44 | $525 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD ER1 (47.9 kWh/100 mi) | $64 | $772 |
| Gas car, 30 mpg | $144 | $1,732 |
What’s going on with electricity prices in Tennessee
Tennessee is one of the cheapest states to charge an EV: 13.42¢ per kWh, #46 of 51, against a U.S. average of 18.16¢. Prices rose 2.5% over the past year.
Almost all of Tennessee’s power comes from the Tennessee Valley Authority, the federal utility that sells wholesale electricity to local power companies. Its large hydroelectric and nuclear fleet keeps costs low, and that shows up on household bills.
Tennessee vs. its neighbors
| State | Price per kWh | Per 1,000 miles (Model Y) | vs. Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $37 | — |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $38 | +3% |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $40 | +7% |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $40 | +8% |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $41 | +11% |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $44 | +18% |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $44 | +19% |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $45 | +22% |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $49 | +31% |
Tennessee borders eight states, tied for the most of any state, and none of them pay less per kWh. Kentucky comes closest at 13.80¢; Virginia pays 17.64¢.
How to pay less to charge in Tennessee
Your rate is set by your local power company, such as Nashville Electric Service, Memphis Light, Gas and Water, EPB in Chattanooga or the Knoxville Utilities Board, not by a statewide market: Tennessee is not a retail-choice state. Some local power companies offer time-of-use rates, and if yours does, overnight charging can cost even less than the average.
Your local power company’s website lists its residential rates and any time-of-use option. Use that price in the EV charging cost calculator instead of the state average.