EV vs. Gas Car Cost
Compare the true cost of an EV vs a gas car — purchase, charging vs fuel, and maintenance over the years you'll own it. See the total for each and the break-even point. (No federal $7,500 credit — it ended in 2025.)
Compare the true cost of two cars side by side. An EV usually costs more to buy but less to run, so the real question is when it pays off. Enter both cars and your driving, and we'll show the total cost of each over your ownership period — and the break-even.
The electric car
EV purchase price
The out-the-door price of the electric car you're considering, before any incentives.
EV incentive (state/local only)
Any state, utility, or local rebate/credit on the EV. Note: the $7,500 FEDERAL credit ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025, so it no longer applies — enter only state/local amounts.
EV efficiency
Miles per kWh — found on the window sticker or EPA rating. Typical EVs get 3–4 mi/kWh; trucks/SUVs less, efficient cars more.
The gas car
Gas car purchase price
The out-the-door price of the comparable gasoline car.
Gas car MPG
The gasoline car's combined miles-per-gallon rating (EPA combined figure on the window sticker).
Driving & prices
Miles driven per year
How far you drive annually. The US average is about 12,000–14,000 miles. Higher mileage favors the EV (more running-cost savings).
Years you'll keep it
How long you plan to own the car. EVs' lower running costs need time to offset a higher purchase price.
Home electricity rate
Your cost per kWh (utility bill: total charges ÷ kWh used). US average ~$0.16–$0.18. Mostly-home charging is what makes EVs cheap to run; heavy public DC fast charging costs much more. If you charge entirely from your own solar, enter 0.
Gas price
Your local price per gallon for the grade the gas car uses.
Total Cost Over 7 Years
Gas saves $680
EV breaks even in ~7.5 yr — past your 7-yr window
No federal $7,500 credit in this estimate
The federal EV tax credit (Section 30D) ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025, so it's not applied here — enter any state or utility incentive in the EV incentive field. The EV's advantage is running cost: at 10.7¢/mi vs 21.8¢/mi, how fast it pays off depends most on your annual miles, electricity rate, and gas price.
Maintenance uses the U.S. Department of Energy figures (6.1¢/mi EV vs 10.1¢/mi gas). This is the cash cost to buy and operate — it excludes insurance, resale/depreciation, and any state EV registration fees, and assumes today's fuel and electricity prices hold. 2026 estimate.
💡About this calculator▼
An EV almost always costs more to buy than a comparable gas car, and almost always costs less to drive. So the real question isn't "which is cheaper?" — it's how long it takes the cheaper running costs to make up the higher sticker price. This calculator answers that: enter both cars and how you drive, and it shows the total cost to own each over your chosen period, plus the break-even point.
The two big swing factors are energy and miles. Charging at home is dramatically cheaper per mile than buying gas, so the more you drive — and the cheaper your electricity relative to local gas prices — the faster an EV pays off. A high-mileage driver with cheap home charging can come out ahead in a few years; a low-mileage driver who leans on expensive public fast charging might never break even. Maintenance also favors the EV (the U.S. Department of Energy puts scheduled maintenance at 6.1¢/mile for EVs vs 10.1¢/mile for gas), though it's a smaller piece than fuel.
One important note for 2026: the federal $7,500 EV tax credit has ended. Under the 2025 budget law, the New Clean Vehicle Credit (Section 30D) is only available for vehicles acquired on or before September 30, 2025. This calculator does not assume it — the incentive field is for your state or utility programs only. That change meaningfully raises the EV's effective purchase price, so any calculator still subtracting $7,500 automatically is now wrong.
For each car, the calculator adds three costs over your ownership period (annual miles × years), then compares the totals and finds the break-even.
1. Purchase price (minus real incentives). The EV's price less any state/utility/local incentive you enter. The federal $7,500 credit is deliberately not applied — it ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025.
2. Energy vs. fuel. Computed from your own numbers:
• EV energy = total miles ÷ efficiency (mi/kWh) × your electricity rate ($/kWh)
• Gas fuel = total miles ÷ MPG × your gas price ($/gal)
This is where the EV usually pulls ahead — home charging often costs a third to a half as much per mile as gasoline.
3. Maintenance. Scheduled maintenance using the U.S. DOE figures: 6.1¢/mile for the EV, 10.1¢/mile for the gas car. EVs skip oil changes, spark plugs, and most exhaust/emissions work, and brakes last longer thanks to regenerative braking.
The break-even. EVs typically cost more upfront but less per mile, so their cumulative cost line starts higher and falls below the gas car's at some point. The calculator finds that crossover — in years and miles — by dividing the EV's upfront premium by its per-mile running savings. If the EV is also cheaper to buy, it wins from day one; if it's pricier to both buy and run (rare — usually heavy public-charging cases), it never catches up.
📐How it's calculated▼
Each car's total is purchase + energy/fuel + maintenance over total miles (annual miles × years).
EV total = (EV price − incentive) + (total miles ÷ mi/kWh × $/kWh) + (total miles × $0.061)
Gas total = gas price + (total miles ÷ MPG × $/gal) + (total miles × $0.101)
Per-mile running cost: • EV = ($/kWh ÷ mi/kWh) + $0.061 · Gas = ($/gal ÷ MPG) + $0.101
Break-even (miles) = upfront premium ÷ per-mile running savings where premium = (EV price − incentive) − gas price, and savings = gas per-mile − EV per-mile
Break-even (years) = break-even miles ÷ annual miles
Example: $45,000 EV (no incentive) vs $35,000 gas, 12,000 mi/yr for 7 years, EV 3.5 mi/kWh at $0.16, gas 30 MPG at $3.50 →
→ EV: $45,000 + $3,840 energy + $5,124 maint = $53,964
→ Gas: $35,000 + $9,800 fuel + $8,484 maint = $53,284
→ The EV breaks even at ~7.5 years, so over 7 years the gas car is ~$680 cheaper — a near tie that tips to the EV with more miles, cheaper power, or higher gas prices.
📎Sources:IRS — Clean Vehicle Tax Credits (§30D ended for vehicles acquired after Sept. 30, 2025),U.S. DOE — FOTW #1190: EV vs. gas scheduled maintenance (6.1¢ vs 10.1¢ per mile),U.S. DOE / EPA — fueleconomy.gov (EV vs gas cost & efficiency comparison)
🔍Finding your inputs▼
EV purchase price / Gas car purchase price: The all-in prices of the two specific cars you're comparing. Use real out-the-door numbers for the most accurate result.
EV incentive (state/local only): Enter any state, utility, or local rebate or credit on the EV. Do not add the federal $7,500 credit — it ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025, and no longer applies. Leaving this at 0 is correct unless you have a specific state/utility program.
EV efficiency (mi/kWh): From the EV's window sticker or EPA rating. Efficient cars hit 3.5–4+ mi/kWh; heavier SUVs and trucks are lower (2.5–3). Higher is cheaper to run.
Gas car MPG: The gas car's EPA combined rating. Higher MPG narrows the EV's fuel advantage.
Miles driven per year: Your annual mileage — one of the two biggest factors. More miles means more fuel savings for the EV, so high-mileage drivers reach break-even much faster. The US average is roughly 12,000–14,000.
Years you'll keep it: Your ownership horizon. Because the EV needs time to earn back its higher price through lower running costs, a longer hold favors the EV; a short hold favors the cheaper-to-buy gas car.
Home electricity rate: Your cost per kWh (divide your bill's total charges by kWh used). This is the EV's fuel price — low home rates are what make EVs cheap to drive. If you'll rely heavily on public DC fast charging (often 2–4× home rates), enter a higher blended figure, since that can erase the EV's running-cost edge.
Gas price: Your local per-gallon price for the gas car's fuel grade. Higher gas prices speed up the EV's payoff.
⚠️Special situations▼
Is an EV actually cheaper than a gas car?
It depends on how much you drive, your electricity and gas prices, and how long you keep the car — which is exactly why this calculator focuses on the break-even rather than a yes/no. EVs cost more upfront but less per mile (often a third to a half the fuel cost, plus lower maintenance — the DOE puts it at 6.1¢/mi vs 10.1¢/mi). So a high-mileage driver with cheap home charging and pricey local gas can come out ahead within a few years, while a low-mileage driver, someone with expensive electricity, or someone who fast-charges in public a lot may find the gas car stays cheaper over their ownership period. Enter your real numbers above; the answer is specific to your situation, not universal.
Does this include the $7,500 federal EV tax credit?
No — and that's intentional, because the federal credit has ended. Under the 2025 budget law (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act), the New Clean Vehicle Credit under Section 30D is only available for vehicles acquired on or before September 30, 2025. For any EV bought after that date, there is no federal $7,500 credit. Many older calculators still subtract it automatically, which now overstates the EV's value by thousands of dollars. This tool leaves the incentive field for state, utility, and local programs only — those still exist in many areas (rebates, reduced registration, HOV access, charger incentives), so check your state and utility and enter any amount you'll actually receive.
How does fast charging change the math?
It can flip the result. The EV's cost advantage rests on cheap home charging — typically $0.13–$0.20 per kWh. Public DC fast charging often runs $0.40–$0.60+ per kWh, two to four times as much, which can push the EV's per-mile energy cost up near (or above) gasoline. If you can charge at home most of the time and only fast-charge on road trips, use your home rate. But if you rely on public fast charging for everyday driving — no home charger, apartment living — enter a higher blended electricity rate to reflect that. In that scenario the EV's running-cost edge shrinks dramatically and the break-even can stretch well beyond a typical ownership period.
Why does annual mileage matter so much?
Because the EV's advantage is per-mile, the more miles you drive, the more that advantage adds up to offset the higher purchase price. An EV might save, say, 10 cents a mile in fuel and maintenance versus a gas car. At 8,000 miles a year that's $800 annually; at 20,000 miles it's $2,500. So a high-mileage driver recovers a $10,000 price premium in about four years, while a low-mileage driver might take a decade or more — possibly longer than they keep the car. This is why EVs make the most financial sense for people who drive a lot, commute long distances, or rideshare, and why the calculator weights annual miles and ownership years so heavily in the break-even.
What costs does this leave out?
Three notable ones. First, insurance — EVs often cost a bit more to insure (higher vehicle value and pricier repairs), which slightly favors the gas car; get quotes for both. Second, depreciation and resale value — a real cost of ownership, but one that's genuinely hard to predict for EVs right now and where a wrong assumption would mislead more than help, so we leave it out rather than bake in a guess. Third, state EV fees — many states charge an extra annual registration fee on EVs (commonly $50–$200) to make up for lost gas-tax revenue. None of these usually changes the overall picture for a high-mileage driver, but for a close call they can tip it, so weigh them alongside this estimate. What's included here — purchase, energy/fuel, and maintenance — is the core and the largest part of the difference.
❓Common questions▼
Are EVs cheaper to own than gas cars?
Often, but not always — it hinges on miles driven, energy prices, and how long you keep the car. EVs cost more to buy but less to run: home charging is typically a third to a half the per-mile cost of gasoline, and scheduled maintenance is lower (the U.S. DOE estimates 6.1¢/mile for EVs vs 10.1¢/mile for gas). For a typical driver keeping the car 5+ years, those savings frequently outweigh the higher sticker price. But a low-mileage driver, someone with expensive electricity, or someone relying on costly public fast charging may find the gas car cheaper over their ownership window. The calculator above shows the break-even for your specific numbers.
Is there still a $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs?
No. The federal New Clean Vehicle Credit (Section 30D) ended under the 2025 budget law and is only available for vehicles acquired on or before September 30, 2025. EVs purchased after that date get no federal credit. The used-EV credit and commercial-vehicle credit ended on the same date. State, utility, and local incentives still exist in many places — rebates, reduced registration fees, HOV-lane access, and home-charger incentives — so it's worth checking your state energy office and utility. This calculator does not apply any federal credit; enter only state/local incentives you'll actually receive.
How much does it cost to charge an EV vs. fill a gas car?
Charging at home is usually far cheaper. At a typical home rate of about $0.16/kWh and 3.5 mi/kWh efficiency, an EV costs roughly 4–5 cents per mile for energy. A 30-mpg gas car at $3.50/gallon costs about 12 cents per mile — two to three times more. Over 12,000 miles a year, that's roughly $550 for home EV charging versus $1,400 in gasoline. The catch is public DC fast charging, which can cost $0.40–$0.60+ per kWh and brings the EV's per-mile cost close to gasoline — so the savings depend on charging mostly at home. Enter your real electricity rate and gas price above to see your own per-mile comparison.
Do electric cars really need less maintenance?
Yes. An EV has no engine oil, spark plugs, timing belt, oxygen sensors, exhaust system, or transmission fluid to service, and regenerative braking means the brake pads last much longer. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates scheduled maintenance at 6.1 cents per mile for a battery-electric vehicle versus 10.1 cents for a gas car — roughly 40% less. Consumer Reports has found similar lifetime savings. EVs aren't maintenance-free (tires, cabin air filters, brake fluid, coolant, wipers), and an out-of-warranty repair like a battery or drive unit can be costly, but routine upkeep is clearly cheaper and simpler. It's a real advantage, though usually a smaller part of the total savings than fuel.
How many years until an EV pays for itself?
For a typical comparison — an EV costing several thousand dollars more upfront — the break-even is often somewhere around 4 to 8 years, but it varies widely. It comes down to the price gap divided by your per-mile savings: a driver doing 18,000 miles a year with cheap home power and $4+ gas might break even in 3–4 years, while someone doing 8,000 miles with average electricity and cheap gas might take 10+ years (longer than they keep the car). The calculator computes this exact crossover for your inputs. If the break-even lands within how long you'll own the car, the EV is the cheaper choice; if it's beyond, the gas car wins for your situation.
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