As the Iran war continues, prices at the gas pump are in danger of creeping toward $4 per gallon in Maryland.

That stretches the finances of daily commuters, delivery drivers and truckers even more in one of the country’s least affordable states. But there’s one group of drivers immune to the jump at the pump: electric vehicle owners.

Maryland has nearly 150,000 registered EVs, according to the state Department of Transportation. The largest share is in Montgomery County, with Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, Howard and Baltimore counties trailing.

Brian Booher, Montgomery County’s senior planning specialist for zero-emission vehicles, said the most powerful argument for making the switch to an EV is the ability to “declare independence from the gas stations and not be exposed to any of the wild swings in gas prices.”

Maryland Del. Dana Stein, a Baltimore County Democrat, said he loves his EVs. Stein’s family has a 9-year-old Nissan Leaf with a driving range of around 100 miles and a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt that can go as far as 250 miles.

Stein said the environmental benefits, low maintenance costs and smooth, quiet ride have made the cars a worthy investment. And the “volatility in gas prices reinforces the economic value of EVs,” he said.

Maryland’s average gas price surged from $2.95 last month to about $3.50 on Tuesday, according to AAA’s fuel prices tracker. The climb is a result of a war with Iran that started Feb. 28 when President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched joint air strikes on the country, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

This week’s average gas price is still lower than Maryland’s record high of $5.02 from June 2022. That peak followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year, which disrupted the global oil market.

Stein’s family also owns a 2016 Toyota Prius that gets up to 52 miles per gallon, allowing him to fill up less often than with a non-hybrid car.

But owning an EV comes with a hefty price tag, and there are other costs — namely, electricity, which has also become more expensive.

A new Nissan Leaf, the cheapest electric car on the market, has a starting price of just over $29,000, according to Kelley Blue Book. Prices can reach as high as $106,000 for a more expensive model like the Mercedes-Benz EQS.

Prices were exceptionally high last year after Trump enacted global tariffs. Some Americans attempted to grab an EV before the federal tax credit of $4,000 to $7,500 ended Sept. 30, creating record sales.

But charging isn’t free.

Jerald Pigg, a real estate agent based in Washington, D.C., paid $0.44 per kilowatt-hour to charge his 2023 Tesla Model Y using the Tesla chargers at the McHenry Row shopping center on Monday.

In the last year, Pigg spent over $4,100, according to his car’s mobile app that tracks his charging history. In the last 30 days, he spent almost as much on charging as he would have on gas, the app says.

But it’s still cost-effective for him, he said. Pigg also owns two gas-powered vehicles that run on premium fuel. Premium gas averaged $4.38 in Maryland as of Monday, up from $3.88 last week.

Stein said he saves money by charging his cars at his home in Baltimore County. It impacts his Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. bill, he acknowledged, but Stein estimates that his outlay is about a third of the cost of filling up with gas.

Johnnie Bennett, a Gaithersburg resident, bought his 2022 Chevy Volt three years ago. Bennett is one of about 47,000 EV drivers registered in Montgomery County — accounting for about a third of all EVs in the state.

Bennett has seen charging prices between $0.56 and $0.65 per kWh. With a Lyft driver discount, the cost drops to about $0.42 per kWh.

He owns a home charger, but his apartment building won’t let him use it. (He theorizes that might have to do with the old building not having circuit breakers that can handle charging an EV).

State and local governments could do more, he argues, to convince vehicle owners to switch to EVs.

Maryland only has 1,650 charging stations, according to the Department of Transportation. There are a few near Bennett in Gaithersburg, but he said they’re marked for private use only.

“The infrastructure is not ready,” he said as he charged his car at the Park Potomac shopping center on Tuesday. “[Charging stations] are not on every corner like gas stations. If it was like that, it would never be a problem.”

But, especially given the skyrocketing gas prices, count Bennett as a happy EV owner.

Booher, Montgomery County’s EV planner, said he is working with local dealerships to help county residents find good deals on EVs. And the county is building a fast-charging hub in Rockville to increase access.

The lease on Booher’s 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 ends soon. He hasn’t decided what vehicle he’ll get next, but he knows one thing for sure.

“It’ll definitely be an electric vehicle. I couldn’t imagine going back to gas at this point.”