EV vs Gas Cost Comparison

Enter your EV and gas vehicle details, your state and driving habits, then calculate. Formula: Annual Savings = Gas Annual Cost − EV Annual Cost, based on fuel and maintenance per mile.

Your Electric Vehicle

Optional — select your EV to auto-fill its rated efficiency below, or skip this and enter your own value.

Make

Model

Trim / Battery

EV Efficiency — Wh per mile

Comparison Vehicle Fuel Economy — MPG

Fuel Type — what you're comparing the EV against

EV efficiency figures are typical published specifications per trim and may vary by model year, options, drivetrain, wheel size, and software updates. Always verify your exact vehicle's specs against your owner's manual, window sticker, or manufacturer's site. Diesel is included as a comparable liquid fuel — switching Fuel Type changes both the price and the CO2 factor used below, since diesel and gasoline don't produce the same emissions per gallon.

Location & Driving Habits

Select your state to auto-fill typical electricity and gas prices, or skip this and enter your own. Tap the ⓘ next to a field for more detail.

State

Electricity Rate — ¢/kWh

Gas Price — $/gallon

Annual Miles Driven

Comparison Period

These factors matter, but the calculator uses reasonable defaults if you leave this closed — 100% home charging and DOE-pattern maintenance estimates. Open it to dial in your own numbers.

Home vs. Public Charging

Public Charging Rate — $/kWh

EV Maintenance — $/mile

Gas Maintenance — $/mile

Leave this closed for a fuel-and-maintenance-only comparison. Open it and enter both purchase prices to also see total cost of ownership over your selected comparison period and a break-even year.

EV Purchase Price — $

Gas Vehicle Purchase Price — $

Your Results

Annual Savings

—

driving the EV vs. the comparison vehicle

EV Cost / Mile

—

fuel + maintenance

Gas Cost / Mile

—

fuel + maintenance

5-Year Savings

—

at selected comparison period

CO2 Reduction

—

lbs/year, EV vs. gas

Formula: —

Cumulative Cost Over Time

Running cost (plus purchase price, if entered) added up year by year for your selected comparison period. Where the two lines cross is your break-even point.

Cost Breakdown

Fuel, maintenance, and total annual cost, side by side for each vehicle.

Total Cost of Ownership & Break-Even

EV Total Cost

—

5-year total, including purchase price

Gas Total Cost

—

over the same period

Break-Even

—

Results are for reference and estimation only. Actual costs vary with your utility plan, local gas prices, driving behavior, and vehicle-specific factors. See full disclaimer below.

How to Use the EV vs Gas Cost Comparison Calculator

Enter Your EV Details

Choose your EV's make, model, and trim to auto-fill its rated efficiency, or skip the selector and enter your own efficiency in watt-hours per mile.

Enter Your Gas Vehicle's MPG

Enter the fuel economy of the gas vehicle you're comparing against, in miles per gallon.

Set Your Location and Driving Habits

Select your state to auto-fill typical electricity and gas prices, then enter your annual mileage. Optionally refine the estimate with a home-versus-public charging mix and your own maintenance assumptions.

Review Your Results

Click Calculate to see your annual savings, cost per mile, projected multi-year savings, and CO2 reduction. Optionally add both vehicles' purchase prices to see total cost of ownership and a break-even year. Use Print to capture the results as they appear on screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the annual savings figure calculated?

The calculator finds a per-mile cost for each vehicle — fuel plus maintenance — then multiplies by your annual mileage. The EV's per-mile fuel cost comes from its efficiency in watt-hours per mile and your electricity rate; the gas vehicle's comes from its miles-per-gallon rating and the gas price you enter. Annual savings is simply the gas vehicle's yearly cost minus the EV's yearly cost.

Why does my state matter for this comparison?

Both electricity rates and gas prices vary significantly from state to state, and that gap is one of the biggest drivers of how much an EV actually saves you. Selecting your state auto-fills typical rates for both, which you can then adjust if you know your own utility rate or local gas price more precisely.

What's the difference between charging at home and charging in public?

Home charging on a residential electricity rate is almost always the cheapest way to charge. Public DC fast charging carries a premium — often several times the residential rate — because it includes the cost of the charging network's own infrastructure and faster service. This calculator lets you set what share of your charging happens at home versus in public and blends the two rates accordingly.

Should I include my vehicles' purchase prices?

Only if you want to see total cost of ownership and a break-even year rather than just running costs. Many EVs still carry a purchase-price premium over a comparable gas vehicle, and the optional purchase-price section shows how many years of fuel and maintenance savings it takes to close that gap. Leaving it blank still gives you a complete fuel-and-maintenance comparison.

Why doesn't this calculator include tax credits or incentives?

Federal, state, and local EV incentives change frequently and depend on your income, filing status, and the specific vehicle, so they don't fit cleanly into a single running-cost formula. This calculator focuses on the costs you'll actually pay to fuel and maintain each vehicle. Check the EV Tax Credit Calculator and consult a tax professional for incentive eligibility specific to your situation.