Electric Vehicles in
Tennessee
Incentives, charging infrastructure, right-to-charge laws, and savings data for EV owners in Tennessee.
Incentives & Credits
Fuel Savings
Right-to-Charge Law
Tennessee does not currently have a right-to-charge law.
Landlord Incentives: TVA offers EV charging programs. Property owners may also qualify for the federal Section 30C 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 Tennessee offer in 2026?
As of 2026, Tennessee 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 $200 annual EV fee, $100 for plug-in hybrids.. 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 Tennessee?
TVA offers EV programs; local utility incentives vary 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); Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee 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. TVA offers EV programs; local utility incentives vary. The annual EV registration fee is $200 annual EV fee, $100 for plug-in hybrids..
Does Tennessee have a right-to-charge law?
Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
The average electricity rate in Tennessee is $0.141/kWh. For a typical EV using 30 kWh per 100 miles, this works out to about $508 per year to drive 12,000 miles on electricity, compared to approximately $1572 per year on gasoline. EV owners in Tennessee save an estimated $1,177 per year on fuel.
Compare Tennessee 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 Tennessee's bordering states stack up.
EV Ownership in Tennessee: What You Need to Know
Tennessee has approximately 55,400 registered EVs and is a major EV manufacturing hub with Nissan and GM production facilities. The state charges a $100 annual EV fee. TVA provides EV programs, and low electricity rates through the public power system make home charging affordable.
With an average electricity rate of $0.141 per kWh and gas prices averaging $3.93 per gallon, EV owners in Tennessee can expect to save approximately $1,177 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 $7,062+ in fuel savings alone — before accounting for reduced maintenance costs.
Tennessee has 1,120 public charging locations offering 3,087 charging ports, of which 1,015 are DC fast ports for quick highway stops (NREL AFDC, as of Aug 2026). Against 55,400 registered battery-electric vehicles (AFDC/Experian, through 2025), that works out to about 17.9 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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