EV vs. Gas Fuel Cost
This isolates fuel cost specifically, not vehicle price, depreciation, insurance, or maintenance, which belong to a full vehicle-ownership comparison elsewhere. For many drivers, the fuel-cost gap alone is one of the strongest arguments for an EV.
At your inputs, the EV costs $13,500 less over 10 years.
| Driving an EV, charged at home total cost over the horizon | $5,500 |
|---|---|
| Driving a comparable gas vehicle total cost over the horizon | $19,000 |
Breakeven: the EV has both the lower upfront cost and the lower annual cost, so there is no upfront tradeoff to offset.
- This uses planning estimates you entered, not a contractor quote or guaranteed savings.
- This compares fuel cost only, not vehicle purchase price, maintenance, or other ownership costs.
What this also tells you: Even if your annual costs are 20% higher or lower than entered, the same option stays cheaper, with the advantage ranging from $10,800 to $16,200.
This is a planning estimate based on your entries. It does not size equipment, determine electrical or building-code compliance, verify incentive eligibility, or replace a contractor quote or professional energy audit.
Why this decision comes up
Fuel cost is often the single most persuasive number in an EV-versus-gas conversation, and it deserves to stand on its own, separate from the more complicated full-ownership-cost comparison.
How this is calculated
Both paths are compared as total fuel cost over your ownership horizon, with no meaningful upfront cost difference assumed in this specific comparison.
A worked example
With the defaults (EV: $550/year home charging; gas: $1,900/year), the EV totals $5,500 against $19,000 for the gas vehicle over 10 years, a $13,500 fuel-cost advantage for the EV at these defaults, among the largest gaps shown anywhere in this site.
Common mistakes
A common mistake is treating this fuel-cost gap as the whole EV-versus-gas ownership picture. Vehicle price, depreciation, and maintenance differences can meaningfully offset or add to this fuel-cost advantage.
Limitations
This does not include vehicle purchase price, depreciation, insurance, or maintenance, all of which matter for a full ownership-cost decision.
Common questions
Why is this scoped to fuel cost only?
Vehicle purchase price, depreciation, insurance, and maintenance are separate, often larger factors in total ownership cost. This tool isolates fuel cost specifically since it is the piece most directly affected by home charging decisions.
How much does home electricity rate affect this comparison?
A great deal. A higher electricity rate narrows the EV's fuel-cost advantage; a lower one widens it. Use your actual home charging rate for an accurate comparison.
Does this assume home charging or public charging for the EV?
Home charging, since that is typically the cheaper and more common pattern for EV owners with a home charger. Use the home-vs-public tool if your charging mix is different.
Does this account for seasonal efficiency changes in either vehicle?
No, this uses your entered annual average cost for each. Both EVs and gas vehicles see some real-world seasonal efficiency variation that an annual average estimate smooths over.
What if I drive an unusually high or low number of miles per year?
Enter your own realistic annual mileage-driven cost for each vehicle type rather than a generic average driver's figure, since the dollar gap scales with how much you actually drive.