Honda Civic LX (gas)
$34,875 / 5 yr
$581/mo$0.58/mi
Lowest 5-yr cost
What an EV really costs in South Carolina — any EV, any hybrid, any gas car
As of August 2026: of the 85 models we price, the cheapest to own over 5 years in South Carolina is the Toyota Corolla LE at $33,855 — a gas car. The cheapest electric, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) ($44,004), runs about $10,149 more — we say it plainly when the gas or hybrid car wins.
Charging mostly at home, an EV usually costs about half as much per mile to run as a comparable gas car — but higher depreciation and insurance can erase that, and the federal $7,500 credit is gone (). The cheaper car depends on the exact vehicles, your mileage, and your local rates. Compare any below — every assumption shown and dated.
No referral fees. No manufacturer commissions. We tell you when gas wins.
The numbers behind every EV-vs-gas estimate
- Electricity, South Carolina
- 16.2¢/kWhEIA · 2026-05
- Gasoline, South Carolina
- $3.48/galAAA
- Charging loss (modeled)
- 12%EPA / SAE J1634
- Maintenance ($/mi)
- EV $0.06 vs gas $0.10AAA (est.)
- Insurance ($/yr, avg)
- EV $2,750 vs gas $2,200industry (est.)
- Federal EV purchase credit (2026)
- $0 — expired Sept 30, 2025IRS / OBBBA
Example comparison — change the vehicles belowOver 5 years, the Honda Civic LX (gas car) is the cheapest at $34,875 — about $14,108 less than the Chevrolet Equinox EV LT ($581/mo, $0.58/mi).
Total cost of ownership, cheapest first
Chevrolet Equinox EV LT
$48,983 / 5 yr
$816/mo$0.82/mi
+$14,108 more than the Honda Civic LX (40%)
Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD
$53,467 / 5 yr
$891/mo$0.89/mi
+$18,592 more than the Honda Civic LX (53%)
Lowest 5-year cost: Honda Civic LX (gas) at $34,875, $581 per month. Chevrolet Equinox EV LT $48,983; Tesla Model 3 Premium $53,467.
Cumulative cost over time
This shows your total spend by each year — purchase, charging/fuel, depreciation, insurance and financing combined. Where two lines cross is your payback point.
Tesla Model 3 PremiumHonda Civic LXChevrolet Equinox EV LT
Tesla Model 3 Premium never beats Honda Civic LX within 5 yrs · Chevrolet Equinox EV LT never beats Honda Civic LX within 5 yrs
Where the money goes (full breakdown)
| Cost component | Electric · Tesla Model 3 Premium | Gas · Honda Civic LX | Electric · Chevrolet Equinox EV LT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $24,644 (46%) | $9,144 (26%) | $20,997 (43%) |
| Charging / fuel | $3,585 (7%) | $5,798 (17%) | $4,159 (8%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$430) | — | 12% (~$499) |
| Maintenance | $3,660 (7%) | $4,620 (13%) | $3,660 (7%) |
| Insurance | $13,750 (26%) | $11,000 (32%) | $13,750 (28%) |
| Financing interest | $7,427 (14%) | $4,213 (12%) | $6,017 (12%) |
| Registration & fees | $400 (1%) | $100 (0%) | $400 (1%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $53,467 | $34,875 | $48,983 |
The charging-loss row is the ~10–15% of electricity lost to AC charging that you pay for but never reaches the battery — most calculators silently omit it, which makes EVs look cheaper than they are. We include it.
Incentives (as of 2026-08-06)
- Federal EV purchase credit ($7,500 new / $4,000 used) — EXPIRED Sept 30, 2025. Ended under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — not available; never in our headline cost.
- Home charger credit (30C) — EXPIRED June 30, 2026. Was 30% of a home-charger install up to $1,000 (IRS Form 8911) — terminated for property placed in service after June 30, 2026 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
- New-vehicle auto-loan interest deduction — ACTIVE 2025–2028. Deduct interest on a new US-assembled vehicle loan, up to $10k/yr (income-limited).
- State & utility incentives — VARIES. Layered per location with a dated source — arriving with the state data packs.
Why trust this
- Unbiased. No referral fees, no manufacturer commissions, no utility-territory lock.
- Current. Live EIA electricity rates; every number sourced and dated.
- Honest. We model charging loss and show you when gas is the better buy.
- Full methodology & sources →
We take no manufacturer commissions, no utility-territory deals, and no referral fees that affect the calculator. Any affiliate links are clearly disclosed and never change the math. The site currently carries no advertising. We show you when gas wins.
What is different about South Carolina's numbers
Home electricity here is 16.2¢/kWh, 12.3% below the 18.4¢ U.S. average (EIA, 2026-05), and regular gas averages $3.48/gal, 9.6% below the national $3.85 (AAA). South Carolina also charges electric cars a $60/yr road-use fee on top of the $20 base registration — $300 across 5 years, folded into every EV figure on this page.
Run all 80 models that have their own cost page through the kernel at both rate sets and the average electric car's 5-year total in South Carolina lands $1,262 below its U.S.-average figure, while the average gas or hybrid car lands $1,769 below its own. Net effect: South Carolina widens the gap an EV has to close by about $507. Head-to-head that comes out as EVs taking 13 of 55 matchups at South Carolina rates against 14 nationally — we publish that whichever way it falls.
Ranked against the other 50 state rate sets by what the whole priced fleet costs to run, South Carolina is 14th cheapest for an electric car and 8th for a gas or hybrid one. Its residential rate has moved 13.8¢ → 17.1¢/kWh across the 24 months to 2026-04 (+23.9%); on a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD that shift alone is about $731 more electricity over 5 years than the same car would have cost at the 2024-05 rate.
Across the 37 matchups where an electric car faces a gas or hybrid one, the median EV costs $14,123 more over 5 years than the gas or hybrid car it is matched against at South Carolina rates — against $13,751 more nationally. South Carolina widens it by about $372. The EV that comes closest here is the Rivian R1S Dual-Motor (Standard Pack) against the Cadillac Escalade, $14,782 ahead; the furthest behind is the Kia EV9 Light Long Range RWD (electric) against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid LE FWD, $25,765 adrift.
Running cost, South Carolina prices: a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD draws about $4.60 of electricity per 100 miles at home (charging loss included), against $11.60 of gas for a 30 mpg car. A gas car would need 76 mpg to match the EV's fuel bill here. That is the running-cost line only — depreciation and insurance are what usually decide the 5-year total, and they are why most of the matchups below still go to the gas or hybrid car.
South Carolina EV incentive: none we can verify. Federal support ended too — the $7,500 new / $4,000 used credits expired Sept 30, 2025 — so nothing is discounted anywhere on this page.
Cheapest EVs to own in South Carolina
Ranked by true 5-year cost of ownership at South Carolina rates (12,000 mi/yr, all-in):
South Carolina cost by model
South Carolina is one of the six cheapest states in the country for 1 of the 80 models we price — Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid SE at $42,814. Sorted by 5-year cost to own at South Carolina rates; the order is not the national order.
| Type | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Corolla LE (gas) | Gas | $23,000 | $33,855 | $564 | $1,020 cheaper than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) | Hybrid | $28,350 | $33,989 | $566 | $886 cheaper than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Honda Civic LX (gas) | Gas | $25,400 | $34,875 | $581 | $1,020 more than the Toyota Corolla LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid LE | Hybrid | $29,000 | $36,801 | $613 | $1,926 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Hyundai Kona SE (gas) | Gas | $25,600 | $37,631 | $627 | $1,825 cheaper than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE | Hybrid | $31,900 | $37,735 | $629 | $1,721 cheaper than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Honda Accord LX (gas) | Gas | $28,000 | $38,065 | $634 | $3,190 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) | Gas | $30,000 | $39,456 | $658 | $318 cheaper than the Honda CR-V LX (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Honda CR-V LX (gas) | Gas | $31,000 | $39,774 | $663 | $318 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport | Hybrid | $35,630 | $40,818 | $680 | $1,362 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Toyota Tacoma SR | Gas | $32,145 | $42,003 | $700 | $9,560 cheaper than the Ford F-150 XLT (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid SE | Plug-in hybrid | $43,865 | $42,814 | $714 | $3,358 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) | Electric | $27,800 | $44,004 | $733 | $10,015 more than the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) at South Carolina rates |
| Nissan Leaf SV+ | Electric | $28,140 | $44,569 | $743 | $10,580 more than the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) at South Carolina rates |
| Toyota bZ XLE (electric) | Electric | $34,900 | $46,705 | $778 | $7,249 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE | Electric | $35,000 | $47,794 | $797 | $8,338 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| 2026 Fiat 500e | Electric | $35,700 | $48,497 | $808 | $13,622 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV LT | Electric | $34,995 | $48,983 | $816 | $9,527 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) | Electric | $36,875 | $49,654 | $828 | $10,198 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| 2026 Volvo EX30 Single motor extended range | Electric | $38,950 | $50,960 | $849 | $11,504 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at South Carolina rates |
| BMW X5 xDrive40i | Gas | $69,200 | $74,636 | $1,244 | $58,371 cheaper than the Land Rover Range Rover P400 SE at South Carolina rates |
| Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) | Electric | $65,095 | $74,823 | $1,247 | $58,184 cheaper than the Land Rover Range Rover P400 SE at South Carolina rates |
This is the South Carolina-relevant slice of the fleet. The full 80-model table at U.S.-average rates is on every model — price vs 5-year cost.
Matchups that change hands in South Carolina
Of the 55 head-to-head matchups we track, 1 comes out differently at South Carolina rates than at the U.S. average — it is the only comparison where "it depends where you live" is literally true:
- Nationally the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) is $355 cheaper over 5 years, but at South Carolina rates the BMW X5 xDrive40i wins instead, by $187. Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) vs BMW X5 xDrive40i →
Car insurance in South Carolina
Drivers in South Carolina spent an average of $1,367 a year on auto insurance — 6.7% above the $1,281 national average (NAIC, 2023, the latest published figure; a state average across all drivers, not a quote for any one car or driver, and premiums have moved since). Electric cars typically add about 42% on top of a comparable gas car, 18% for 2024-and-newer models (Insurify, June 2026, modeled at a standard driver profile).
Our 5-year totals use a labeled per-model estimate for each car, not this average — see how EV insurance moves the 5-year cost.
FAQ
Is an electric car cheaper to own than a gas car in South Carolina?
Usually not at typical mileage, as of August 2026: the cheapest model we track in South Carolina is the Toyota Corolla LE (a gas car) at $33,855 over 5 years, while the cheapest electric — the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) at $44,004 — runs about $10,149 more. High mileage or cheap home charging can flip it; each comparison page shows exactly when.
Which EV is cheapest to own in South Carolina?
As of August 2026, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) — about $44,004 over 5 years all-in: depreciation, charging (including losses), insurance, maintenance, registration fees and financing.
What do electricity and gas cost in South Carolina right now?
Our totals use 16.2¢/kWh for home electricity (EIA) and $3.48/gal for gas (AAA), as of August 6, 2026.
What does the 5-year total include?
Depreciation, charging or fuel (including the ~12% AC charging loss most calculators omit), insurance, maintenance, registration fees and financing interest — every source dated. The federal $7,500 EV credit expired Sept 30, 2025 and is not applied.
How much does it cost to charge an EV in South Carolina?
About $5 per 100 miles at home at South Carolina's residential rate (16.2¢/kWh, EIA), including the ~12% charging loss — using a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD as the reference. See the cost to charge in every state.
How much is car insurance in South Carolina?
Drivers in South Carolina spent an average of about $1,367 a year — 6.7% above the $1,281 national average (NAIC, 2023; a state average across all drivers, not a quote for a specific car or driver, and premiums have moved since). Electric cars typically run about 42% above comparable gas cars (18% for 2024-and-newer models; Insurify, June 2026). EVCostIQ's 5-year totals use our own labeled per-model estimate, not this average.
States whose numbers look like South Carolina's
Closest matches on home electricity and pump price — the states where the same car lands nearest to its South Carolina total — plus the cheapest and most expensive states in the country to run an EV: