2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD: home charging cost in South Carolina

At South Carolina's residential electricity rate of 16.04¢/kWh, a 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD (rated 24.3 kWh per 100 miles by the EPA) costs $3.9 to drive 100 miles on home charging, against $16.02 for the same distance in a car averaging 25.5 mpg on gasoline at $4.085/gallon. Charging at home costs a fraction of what gas would here: 75.7% less than gas per mile, here specifically.

What a year of driving costs

Driving 15,000 miles a year — fueleconomy.gov's own default assumption — a 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD charged at home in South Carolina costs about $585/year in electricity, against about $2,403/year for the gas-car comparison. That's a savings of about $1,818 a year.

What one full charge costs

A 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD needs roughly 78 kWh to reach its EPA-rated 321-mile range, which runs about $12.51 at 16.04¢/kWh in South Carolina.

How this compares nationally

This combination ranks 713 of 20,400 state/model pairs for cost savings against gas (1 is cheapest). The Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD alone ranks 2 of 400 models for efficiency; South Carolina alone ranks 27 of 51 states for electricity price.

Getting set up to charge a 2026 Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD at home

The numbers above assume Level 2 home charging is already in place — the electrical work behind that is a real, separate cost that varies by panel, wiring, and local labor rates, not something this page's per-mile math includes.

Line up a few South Carolina electrician quotes for Level 2 install before you commit either way.

Where these figures come from

The methodology guide names the exact EIA and EPA tables behind this page's numbers. South Carolina's 16.04¢/kWh rate ranks 27 of 51 states; the state rate guide lays out the full spread.