EV vs Gas Running Cost Calculator
Most comparisons assume cheap home charging and expensive petrol. This one lets you model the awkward cases too — including public fast charging, where an EV can genuinely lose.
Fuel cost only — and that is deliberate
This compares what goes into the car, nothing else. Purchase price, financing, insurance, depreciation and repairs frequently dwarf the fuel difference, and they vary so much between individuals that folding them in would produce a confident-looking number that is wrong for almost everyone.
The break-even gas price
The most useful figure here is the break-even: how far petrol would have to fall before your gas car matched the EV.
Charging at home on a standard US rate, a typical EV runs at roughly 5.5¢ per mile. For a 27 mpg gas car to match that, petrol would need to cost about $1.48 a gallon. Petrol has not been that cheap in years, which is why home-charged EVs win comfortably on fuel.
Now change one input. On DC fast charging at 48¢/kWh, the EV runs at about 14.6¢ per mile — break-even petrol becomes $3.94 a gallon, above the current national average. The EV now loses.
Where each option wins
| Scenario | EV cost/mi | Gas cost/mi | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home off-peak (9¢), 27 mpg car | 2.9¢ | 11.7¢ | EV by a mile |
| Home standard (17.5¢), 27 mpg | 5.5¢ | 11.7¢ | EV clearly |
| Home standard, 50 mpg hybrid | 5.5¢ | 6.3¢ | EV, narrowly |
| Mostly fast charging, 27 mpg | 13.2¢ | 11.7¢ | Gas |
| Fast charging only, 50 mpg hybrid | 14.6¢ | 6.3¢ | Gas, decisively |
The conclusion most EV comparisons avoid: if you cannot charge at home, the fuel-cost case for an EV largely disappears — and against an efficient hybrid it reverses completely. Home charging access matters more than which car you buy.
What this leaves out, honestly
- Maintenance. EVs genuinely save on oil, plugs and exhaust work — realistically $200–400 a year, not the near-zero sometimes claimed. Tyres often wear faster because EVs are heavy.
- Purchase price and incentives. Frequently the largest term in the whole equation, and highly individual.
- Depreciation. Historically steeper on EVs, though narrowing.
- Winter. Cold weather can cut EV efficiency 20–30%. Model it by lowering the mi/kWh figure.
- Home charger installation. A one-off $500–2,000 that the fuel savings must repay first.
Related
- EV charging cost calculator — break down charging by location
- Methodology — every assumption and formula
Common questions
Can an electric car really cost more to fuel than petrol?
Yes, in one specific situation: relying on DC fast charging. At 48¢/kWh and 3.0 mi/kWh, an EV costs about 16¢ per mile. An efficient hybrid at 50 mpg with $3.15 petrol costs about 6.3¢ per mile. That is the EV costing more than twice as much. The scenario is uncommon but very real for apartment dwellers without home charging — set fast-charging share to 100% above and see for yourself.
What is the break-even gas price?
It is the price petrol would need to fall to before your gas car matched your EV's fuel cost. If the break-even is $1.10/gal and petrol is $3.15, your EV has a large margin of safety. If it comes out near or above current pump prices, the EV's advantage is thin and could vanish if electricity rates rise.
Does this include purchase price, insurance and maintenance?
No — this is fuel cost only, deliberately. Purchase price, financing, insurance, depreciation and repairs often dwarf fuel differences, and they vary far too much between individuals to model usefully. Treat this as one input to a bigger decision, not the whole answer.
What about maintenance savings on an EV?
They are real but frequently overstated. EVs skip oil changes, spark plugs, timing belts and exhaust work, typically saving $300–500 a year. They still need tyres — often sooner, because EVs are heavy — plus brake fluid, cabin filters and coolant. Budget a genuine saving of $200–400 a year rather than the near-zero maintenance sometimes claimed.