EV vs Gas Cost Calculator
Calculate EV charging costs and what you save over a gas or diesel car.
EV
Find your efficiency
Gas car
Diesel car
Enter a number above 0. The electricity price can also be 0.
EV charging cost
$583 a year
$49 a month · $0.049 per mile
What you save each year with an EV
- Cheaper than a gas car at $0.40 per kWh or less
- Cheaper than a diesel car at $0.40 per kWh or less
The default values are examples, not current prices. Purchase price, taxes, insurance, and maintenance are not included.
EV vs Gas Cost Calculator
EV vs Gas Cost Calculator compares what you pay to charge an EV with what you pay to fuel a gas or diesel car, and shows how much you save each month and year.
EV cost = miles ÷ mi/kWh × price per kWh
Fuel cost = miles ÷ MPG × price per gallon
Here’s the math for 12,000 miles a year.
| Car | Math | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| EV | 12,000 ÷ 3.5 × $0.17 | About $583 |
| Gas | 12,000 ÷ 30 × $3.50 | $1,400 |
Only fuel costs are compared. Purchase price, incentives, taxes, insurance, and maintenance are left out, so weigh those separately before you decide on a car.
How to use
- Enter how many miles you drive per year.
- Enter the EV efficiency and electricity price, then the fuel economy and pump price of the cars to compare.
- If you don't know your efficiency, open Find your efficiency and enter the miles driven and energy charged.
- On the right, read your yearly EV charging cost and what you save over a gas or diesel car.
Key terms
Cost per mile
EV cost per mile is the electricity price times the energy used per mile. The U.S. Alternative Fuels Data Center gives this example: at 10.7¢ per kWh and 27 kWh per 100 miles, the cost is about $0.03 per mile.
Break-even electricity price
The price where charging and fueling cost the same for the same distance. Below it, the EV is cheaper. A gas car at $3.50 a gallon and 30 MPG costs about $0.117 per mile, so an EV that goes 3.5 miles on a kWh matches it at about $0.40 per kWh.
This price depends only on efficiency, fuel economy, and the pump price, not on how far you drive. Compare it with your home rate and with the public chargers you use.
How much efficiency do EVs lose in winter?
According to FuelEconomy.gov, EV fuel economy can drop roughly 39% in mixed city and highway driving in cold weather. If you often drive in winter, try a lower efficiency.
Does all the electricity reach the battery?
No. The same site says battery charging efficiency is often 84% to 93%. This calculator does not add charging losses, so an efficiency worked out from the energy your charger reports gets you closer to your real cost.
FAQ
How much can I save per month with an EV?
It depends on your mileage, cars, and prices. At 12,000 miles a year, an EV at 3.5 mi/kWh and $0.17 per kWh saves about $68 a month and $817 a year over a 30 MPG gas car at $3.50 a gallon. These are example values, so enter your own to check.
What is kWh/100 miles?
It is how many kilowatt-hours a vehicle uses to travel 100 miles, and it appears on the U.S. fuel economy label. A lower number is better. Choose it from the unit menu next to Efficiency.
My label shows MPGe. Can I enter that?
Use the kWh/100 miles figure from the same label instead. It connects directly to your electricity price.
How do I find my mi/kWh?
Divide the miles you drove by the kWh you charged. Enter both under Find your efficiency, and the result goes into the Efficiency field.
Is an EV always cheaper to fuel?
No. A high electricity price, such as at some public fast chargers, or low efficiency can shrink the gap, and a very efficient gas car can cost less. Enter your own prices to check.
Why aren't gas and electricity prices filled in automatically?
They vary by place and change often. The defaults are examples, so replace them with what you actually pay.
Is what I enter saved?
No. It is never saved or sent to a server. Everything is calculated in your browser.