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EV vs Gas Cost Calculator

Compare annual driving cost between an EV and a gas car based on your local assumptions.

Ownership cost

Compare annual EV and gas operating cost

A simple model for energy cost per mile and yearly operating cost based on your own distance and local prices.

Results update as you type

Result summary

Updated after each calculation with the most important output.

Annual EV cost

$576

Annual gas cost

$1,500

Annual difference

$924

EV cost per mile

$0.05

Gas cost per mile

$0.13

How to use this tool

This comparison focuses on operating cost only. It uses electricity consumption for the EV and MPG for the gas vehicle to estimate annual energy spend.

Financing, insurance, depreciation, charging hardware, and resale value are not included here. That makes this useful as a first-pass cost check, not a full ownership model.

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Step by step

How to use this tool

  1. 1

    Enter your annual mileage — 12,000 miles is the U.S. average.

  2. 2

    For the EV side, enter kWh per 100 miles (check the EPA label) and your home electricity rate from your utility bill.

  3. 3

    For the gas side, enter MPG from your current car and the gas price at your local pump.

  4. 4

    Optionally add a maintenance delta if you want to factor in lower EV service costs.

  5. 5

    Compare the annual totals. If the EV saves money, divide your EV purchase premium by the annual savings to find your payback period.

Decision context

What this calculator helps you decide

Use EV vs Gas Cost Calculator when you need a quick, structured answer before you spend money, approve work, prepare a trip, compare options, or share information with a buyer, seller, shop, lender, or insurer. Enter the inputs you already know, review the result, then use the assumptions and limits below to decide what to check next.

Inputs and outputs

Start with the inputs that most affect this decision: Annual Mileage, Gas Car MPG, Gas Price ($/gallon), EV Efficiency (miles/kWh), Electricity Price ($/kWh). The output is meant to make the next step easier to compare, not to replace a written quote, inspection, policy document, loan disclosure, or local rule.

The main outputs are Annual Gas Cost, Annual EV Charging Cost, Estimated Annual Savings. If one input is uncertain, change that value and compare the result again before treating a single estimate as final.

Best-use cases

This page is built around the search intent: compare EV and gas car running costs, calculate EV charging cost, electric car vs gas savings. It is most useful when you want to narrow a decision, prepare better questions, or avoid missing a cost, risk, fitment issue, paperwork step, or ownership detail.

Keep the assumptions visible while using the result. If your vehicle, location, driving pattern, quote, loan, insurance policy, or listing situation is unusual, use this as a planning screen and verify the final decision with the relevant document, professional, or local requirement.

Real scenarios

Example calculations

Home Charging vs Gas

Comparing a 30 MPG gas car to an EV charging at home ($0.15/kWh).

Inputs

Gas M P G30
Gas Price$3.50
E V Efficiency3.5 mi/kWh
Electric Rate$0.15/kWh

Results

Gas Cost Per Mile$0.11
E V Cost Per Mile$0.04
Annual Savings$1,050

High-Mileage Driver

A 20,000 mile/year driver comparing a 25 MPG truck to an efficient EV.

Inputs

Annual Miles20,000
Gas M P G25
Gas Price$3.75
E Vk Wh28 kWh/100mi
Electric Rate$0.12/kWh

Results

Annual Gas Cost$3,000
Annual E V Cost$672
Savings$2,328

Direct Answer

We compare the cost of electricity per kWh with the cost of gasoline per gallon over your annual mileage to find the cheaper option.

Assumptions we made

  • All charging is done at the specified electricity rate (e.g., home charging)
  • Gas price remains constant throughout the year

Important limitations

  • Does not include maintenance, insurance, or vehicle purchase price differences
  • Does not account for expensive public fast-charging

Methodology

How the estimate works

Inputs, outputs, and calculation logic.

Logic

Calculates total fuel cost for gas vehicle and total electricity cost for EV over the same distance, then compares

Inputs

  • Annual Mileage
  • Gas Car MPG
  • Gas Price ($/gallon)
  • EV Efficiency (miles/kWh)
  • Electricity Price ($/kWh)

Outputs

  • Annual Gas Cost
  • Annual EV Charging Cost
  • Estimated Annual Savings

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Does this include insurance or depreciation?

No. This version only compares operating cost based on energy use and an optional maintenance difference. It is meant to answer a narrower question cleanly.

Should I use home charging or public charging cost?

Use the number that best matches how you expect to charge most of the time. If your charging mix is split, use a blended assumption or test both scenarios.

Is an EV always cheaper to drive?

Not automatically. The answer changes with local electricity rates, gas prices, annual mileage, and the vehicle efficiency on both sides of the comparison.

What is the maintenance delta field for?

It lets you model an extra annual maintenance advantage or disadvantage for the EV side of the comparison without building a larger ownership model.

Related tools

Continue with the next estimate

Fuel Cost Calculator

Calculate gas cost for a trip, a commute, or your recurring weekly driving pattern.

Road Trip Budget Calculator

Add gas, lodging, tolls, parking, and food to estimate a realistic road trip budget.

EV Charging Cost Calculator

Estimate how much it costs to charge your electric vehicle at home versus using a public DC fast charger.