Gas vs Electric Cost Calculator
Compare annual fuel costs between a gas-powered car and an electric vehicle based on your driving habits and local energy prices.
Gas vs. electric vehicle (EV) cost comparison goes beyond the sticker price — it factors in fuel/electricity costs, maintenance, insurance differences, and incentives over the ownership period.
The core formulas:
Annual Gas Fuel Cost = (Annual Miles / MPG) × Gas Price per Gallon
Annual EV Electricity Cost = (Annual Miles / MPGe) × Electricity Price per kWh × 33.7
Simplified: Annual EV Cost = (Annual Miles × kWh per mile) × Price per kWh
5-Year Total Cost of Ownership = Purchase Price − Incentives + Fuel Cost × 5 + Maintenance × 5
What each variable means:
- MPGe — miles per gallon equivalent; the EPA uses 33.7 kWh = 1 gallon for comparison purposes
- kWh per mile — most EVs use 0.25–0.35 kWh/mile in real-world driving
- Incentives — US federal EV tax credit up to $7,500 plus state incentives
- Maintenance savings — EVs have no oil changes, fewer brake jobs (regenerative braking), and no transmission service
Worked example: Gas car: $30,000, 30 MPG, $3.50/gallon, $1,200/year maintenance. EV: $40,000 − $7,500 incentive = $32,500 effective, 0.30 kWh/mile, $0.14/kWh, $600/year maintenance.
Annual miles: 13,000.
Annual gas cost = (13,000 / 30) × $3.50 = $1,517 Annual EV electricity cost = 13,000 × 0.30 × $0.14 = $546 Annual maintenance savings = $1,200 − $600 = $600 Annual EV advantage = ($1,517 − $546) + $600 = $1,571/year Effective price difference = $32,500 − $30,000 = $2,500 Payback period = $2,500 / $1,571 = 1.6 years
Home charging vs. public fast charging: home costs ~$0.04/mile; DC fast charging can cost $0.20–$0.30/mile — nearly as expensive as gas.