Electric Vehicles in
South Carolina
Incentives, charging infrastructure, right-to-charge laws, and savings data for EV owners in South Carolina.
Incentives & Credits
Fuel Savings
Right-to-Charge Law
South Carolina does not currently have a right-to-charge law.
Landlord Incentives: Property owners may qualify for the federal Section 30C tax credit — which expired June 30, 2026; a charger placed in service on or before that date can still be claimed on a 2026 return via Form 8911.
Charging Infrastructure
Sources: charging counts from NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center , public and operational as of Aug 2026. Registration counts from AFDC light-duty vehicle registration data (derived from Experian Information Solutions, through 2025, rounded to the nearest 100, battery-electric only — plug-in hybrids excluded). A location is one charging site; a port is one plug a single vehicle connects to. One location usually has several ports.
Frequently Asked Questions
What EV rebates does South Carolina offer in 2026?
As of 2026, South Carolina new-EV buyers can access: No state credit (Federal credit ended Sept 30, 2025). Used EV buyers: Federal used EV credit ended Sept 30, 2025. The annual EV registration fee is $60 annual EV fee.. The federal Clean Vehicle Credit (§30D) and Used EV Credit (§25E) both expired September 30, 2025 under the OBBBA.
Are there rebates for installing a home EV charger in South Carolina?
Duke Energy and Dominion Energy offer EV programs The federal 30C Alternative Fuel Refueling Property Credit — 30% of installation cost up to $1,000 for residential chargers — expired June 30, 2026 (the OBBBA-accelerated sunset date); South Carolina EV owners whose charger was placed in service on or before that date, in an eligible census tract, can still claim it on their 2026 return via IRS Form 8911.
What EV incentives are available in South Carolina?
South Carolina EV buyers can access No state credit (Federal credit ended Sept 30, 2025). Used EV buyers may qualify for Federal used EV credit ended Sept 30, 2025. Duke Energy and Dominion Energy offer EV programs. The annual EV registration fee is $60 annual EV fee..
Does South Carolina have a right-to-charge law?
South Carolina does not currently have a statewide right-to-charge law. Tenants and condo owners should check local ordinances and negotiate directly with landlords or HOA boards.
How much does it cost to charge an EV in South Carolina?
The average electricity rate in South Carolina is $0.155/kWh. For a typical EV using 30 kWh per 100 miles, this works out to about $558 per year to drive 12,000 miles on electricity, compared to approximately $1516 per year on gasoline. EV owners in South Carolina save an estimated $1,066 per year on fuel.
Compare South Carolina to Neighboring States
EV incentives, fees, and sales-tax treatment vary sharply across state lines — sometimes by hundreds of dollars a year for the same car. See how South Carolina's bordering states stack up.
EV Ownership in South Carolina: What You Need to Know
South Carolina has approximately 35,700 registered EVs and charges a $60 biennial EV fee. The state does not offer additional purchase incentives but benefits from growing manufacturing investments, including Scout Motors and BMW's EV production. Duke Energy offers EV programs for customers.
With an average electricity rate of $0.155 per kWh and gas prices averaging $3.79 per gallon, EV owners in South Carolina can expect to save approximately $1,066 per year on fuel compared to a traditional gasoline vehicle. These savings add up significantly over the typical ownership period of 5-7 years, potentially totaling $6,396+ in fuel savings alone — before accounting for reduced maintenance costs.
South Carolina has 669 public charging locations offering 2,112 charging ports, of which 929 are DC fast ports for quick highway stops (NREL AFDC, as of Aug 2026). Against 35,700 registered battery-electric vehicles (AFDC/Experian, through 2025), that works out to about 16.9 EVs per public port, so the state's charging network is keeping pace with the vehicles on the road. The federal NEVI program continues to fund new fast-charging corridors across the state, making long-distance EV travel increasingly practical.
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