EV vs Gas Cost Calculator
Compare what it costs to fuel an electric vehicle and a gas car for the same driving. Enter your yearly miles, the fuel economy of each vehicle and your local fuel and electricity prices.
How to use this ev vs gas cost calculator
- Enter the miles you drive in a year.
- Enter the fuel economy of the gas car and the local price of gas.
- Enter the EV efficiency in kilowatt-hours per 100 miles and the price you pay per kilowatt-hour.
- Choose the number of years to compare.
- Press Calculate to see the yearly fuel cost of each and the savings.
How to compare EV and gas fuel costs
Both costs are the energy used times the price of that energy.
- Gas cost per year = miles / mpg x gas price per gallon
- EV cost per year = miles x kWh per 100 miles / 100 x price per kWh
- Savings per year = gas cost – EV cost
- Savings over several years = yearly savings x years
- Cost per mile = yearly cost / miles
Worked example
You drive 12,000 miles a year. A gas car that gets 28 mpg uses 12,000 / 28 = 428.6 gallons, which at $3.50 costs $1,500.00. An EV that uses 30 kWh per 100 miles uses 12,000 x 0.30 = 3,600 kWh, which at $0.17 costs $612.00. The EV saves $888.00 per year, or $4,440.00 over five years. That is $0.125 per mile for gas and $0.051 per mile for the EV.
Try a higher electricity price to see what public fast charging does to the result. If most of your charging happens at home overnight, a time-of-use rate can bring the figure down. Remember that the purchase price, insurance and any home charger are not included, so compare the savings with the price difference between the two vehicles.
Assumptions & limits
- Prices are constant over the years. Gas and electricity prices both change, and public fast charging can cost much more than charging at home.
- The default electricity price and EV efficiency are placeholders. Use the rate from your bill and the rating for the EV you are considering.
- The calculator compares fuel and electricity only. It leaves out purchase price, incentives, insurance, maintenance, tires and charger installation.
- Winter weather, fast driving and cargo can raise EV energy use, just as they lower gas fuel economy.
- Plug-in hybrids use both fuels, so a share of miles on each is needed to compare them.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to drive an EV or a gas car?
Often an EV costs less per mile for fuel, but it depends on local electricity and gas prices and where you charge. The calculator uses your own numbers.
How do I find my EV efficiency?
Look for the kWh per 100 miles rating of the model, or divide the kWh used by the miles driven and multiply by 100.
What electricity price should I use?
Use the price per kWh on your bill, including delivery charges. For public chargers use the price shown on the charger.
Does this include the cost of buying the car?
No. It compares fuel only. Add the price difference, incentives and insurance to see the whole cost.
How much does home charging cost per charge?
Multiply the kWh added by your price per kWh.
Do charging losses matter?
Yes. Some energy is lost between the wall and the battery. Use an efficiency figure measured at the wall to include them.
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Last updated: November 2026