Going electric in New York

Electricity, EV charging and solar in New York

A typical New York household could keep about $3,140 a year by going electric. Charging a car at home here is like paying $2.33 a gallon instead of $4.35, and solar panels sized for an average home could cover up to $140 of the monthly bill.

See what you'd save Solar in New York

Data updated October 15, 2026 · How we calculate this

$3,140

Saved a year, typical home

EV, solar and electric heat, hot water and cooking

$2.33/gal

What charging feels like

vs $4.35 for gas (New York average)

$1,427/yr

EV vs gas car

Fuel plus maintenance, 12,000 miles

$140/mo

Average electric bill

New York, 2024 (EIA)

The numbers behind it

Average home electricity price: 29.4¢; per kWh, January–July 2026; up 13% on a year earlier
Average home use: 571 kWh; per month in 2024; average bill $140
EV charging at home: $9.14; per 100 miles in a compact electric SUV
Solar output: 1,302 kWh; per kW of panels per year near New York City (34th of 51)

What it costs to charge an EV in New York

Home charging cost is simply the electricity price times how much energy the car uses. The table uses EPA ratings, which already include the energy lost while charging. At 29.4¢/kWh, charging in New York costs 62% more than the national average.

Home charging cost in New York for three EVs compared with a gasoline car
Vehicle (EPA rating)	Per 100 miles	1,000 miles a month
2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWDEfficient sedan, 24.3 kWh/100 mi	$7.14	$71
2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWDCompact SUV, 31.1 kWh/100 mi	$9.14	$91
2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Ext Range WTFull-size pickup, 47.8 kWh/100 mi	$14.04	$140
Gasoline car, 25.5 mpgregular at $4.35/gal (New York average)	$17.07	$171

On these averages, a compact electric SUV charged at home saves about $79 a month in fuel over a 1,000-mile month compared with a 25.5 mpg gasoline car. Many utilities offer cheaper overnight EV rates that can cut these figures substantially. Try your own numbers in the EV charging cost calculator.

Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes our recommendations. How we make money.

Our pick for a home charger · sponsored link

Lectron NEXUS Level 2

Adds up to 38 miles of range an hour, so you wake up full every morning. It plugs into a 240-volt outlet (the dryer or RV kind, NEMA 14-50), is weatherproof for the driveway, and has a 3-year warranty.

$419.99list ~~$469.99~~, when we checked October 15, 2026

Check price: most EVs (J1772)Tesla / NACS version Do I need one?

Public charging in New York

The Department of Energy lists 20,029 public charging ports at 5,428 locations in New York, including 3,303 DC fast-charging ports and 16,717 Level 2 ports. That is roughly one public port for every 370 residential electricity customers. Find live locations on the AFDC station locator.

How much solar a typical New York home needs

The PVWatts solar model from the National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL), run on ten years of NASA hourly weather data for New York City, estimates each kilowatt of south-facing panels at a 20° tilt produces 1,302 kWh a year. To cover the average New York household's 6,854 kWh a year you would need about 5.3 kW, or roughly 14 panels at 400 watts each.

If every kilowatt-hour from the panels replaced one bought at 29.4¢, each kilowatt of panels would be worth about $382 a year. Under that best case, a system installed for $3.82 per watt would pay for itself in 10 years, and one at $7.65 per watt in 20 years.

That is an upper bound. Many utilities credit exported solar at less than the retail rate, so the value depends heavily on your utility's net metering or net billing rules and how much power you use while the sun is up. Compare any installer quote's price per watt against these break-even figures.

Size a system for your own usage or find installers serving New York.

Monthly output of 1 kW of panels near New York City (kWh)

Monthly output of 1 kW of panels near New York City (kWh)
Jan	72 kWh
Feb	84 kWh
Mar	117 kWh
Apr	124 kWh
May	133 kWh
Jun	140 kWh
Jul	139 kWh
Aug	132 kWh
Sep	113 kWh
Oct	100 kWh
Nov	84 kWh
Dec	64 kWh

Home battery backup in New York

The average New York home uses about 18.8 kWh a day. A single 13.5 kWh battery (the capacity of a Tesla Powerwall 3) would run that average load for about 17 hours; backing up only essentials such as the fridge, lights, internet and a furnace fan stretches that much further. Covering a full day of average use would take about 1.4 batteries of that size. Size a battery for your home, compare whole-home and portable backup or see the best portable power stations.

Incentives in New York

The federal $7,500 new-EV and $4,000 used-EV tax credits ended for vehicles acquired after 30 September 2025, and the 30% homeowner credit for solar and batteries ended for expenditures after 31 December 2025. See what federal help remains. State and utility programs change often, so check the official lists for New York:

AFDC: New York laws and incentives for electric vehicles — US Department of Energy list of state EV incentives, utility programs and rules
DSIRE: New York clean energy incentives and policies — NC Clean Energy Technology Center database of solar, storage and efficiency programs

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home in New York?

At New York's average residential price of 29.4¢ per kWh (January–July 2026, EIA), a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD rated at 31.1 kWh per 100 miles costs about $9.14 per 100 miles, or about $91 for 1,000 miles. Your own cost depends on your utility's rate plan and when you charge.

Is it cheaper to drive an EV than a gas car in New York?

On average prices, yes for most drivers. With regular gasoline at $4.35 a gallon (New York average, EIA) and a 25.5 mpg car, fuel costs about $17.07 per 100 miles, versus about $9.14 for the compact electric SUV above charged at home. Public fast charging usually costs more than home charging and narrows the gap.

How many solar panels does an average New York home need?

The average New York household used 571 kWh a month in 2024 (EIA). Our PVWatts model estimates 1 kW of south-facing panels near New York City produces about 1,302 kWh a year, so covering all of that use takes about 5.3 kW — roughly 14 panels of 400 watts. Shading, roof direction and your own usage change the answer.

How big a home battery would an average New York home need?

An average New York home uses about 18.8 kWh a day. One 13.5 kWh battery such as a Tesla Powerwall 3 would cover about 17 hours of average use, and longer if you only back up essential circuits.

Estimates only. Your actual costs depend on your utility's rate plan, how and when you charge or use power, and local prices. This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. See our disclaimer.

Sources

U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.A and 5.6.B — July 2026 YTD (year to date); latest month July 2026. Average revenue per kWh across all residential customers, including fixed charges spread over usage. Preliminary estimates.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2024 Average Monthly Bill- Residential — 2024 (annual)
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices (regular, all formulations) — New York average, week of 2026-10-12
U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Alternative Fueling Station Counts by State — snapshot 2026-10-15 (public stations, currently available)
PVWatts v8 solar model (National Laboratory of the Rockies, formerly NREL, run via its PySAM package) on NASA POWER hourly weather — New York City; 1 kW DC fixed roof mount, 20 degree tilt, facing south (180 degrees), standard module, 14% system losses, 96% inverter efficiency, DC/AC ratio 1.2 (PVWatts defaults except tilt). Checked against the PVWatts web API for eight states: within 8%, 3% on average.
U.S. EPA and DOE, fueleconomy.gov vehicle data (combined kWh/100 mi, includes charging losses) — model years 2026-2027
U.S. EPA, 2025 Automotive Trends Report (model year 2024 data) — Average new-vehicle real-world fuel economy was 27.2 mpg, and 1.7 mpg lower without battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles; we use 25.5 mpg for a typical new gasoline vehicle.

Figures retrieved October 15, 2026. US comparison: 18.2¢/kWh; gasoline $4.33/gal; a 25.5 mpg car costs $16.98 per 100 miles nationally.