The window sticker tells you two prices, but it hides the number that actually decides whether switching makes sense: what you will spend after you drive it off the lot. This gas vs electric car calculator compares the five-year operating cost of a gasoline car against a battery-electric car side by side — fuel or charging, scheduled maintenance, and the price premium you paid for going electric. Slide the inputs and you will see exactly how many years it takes for the EV's fuel savings to pay back that premium, and how much money is left over.
How to Use
- Enter Annual Miles Driven — the miles you expect to put on the car each year. The US average is about 13,500, but highway commuters and ride-share drivers can easily double that, which changes the math dramatically.
- Set the Ownership Period. The default is five years, which matches most lease terms and the time frame fueleconomy.gov uses for its cost-to-drive comparisons.
- Type the Gas Car Fuel Economy — the combined MPG of the gasoline competitor. Use the EPA combined figure, not the highway number, to avoid overstating efficiency.
- Enter your local Gasoline Price. Check AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report or GasBuddy for your region; prices swing 50% or more between coasts and the Midwest.
- Set the EV Energy Use in kWh per mile. A typical EV lands around 0.30 kWh/mi (30 kWh per 100 miles). Efficient sedans drop to 0.25, while pickup trucks and large SUVs climb to 0.35 or higher.
- Enter the Electricity Rate you actually pay. The US average is about $0.14/kWh, but if you charge at work for free, on a solar rooftop, or on a discounted off-peak plan, you can cut this to $0.08 or lower. Public fast charging is much more expensive — treat that as a separate budget line.
- Add Maintenance for both cars. Gas cars need oil changes, spark plugs, brake service, and exhaust work, usually $600–$1,200 per year. EVs skip all of that, so maintenance typically runs $400–$600 per year, mostly tires and cabin filters.
- Enter the EV Price Premium — how much more the electric version costs upfront than the gasoline equivalent. After federal and state tax credits, many buyers see this premium shrink to $3,000–$8,000.
The result card shows the total five-year cost of each car, the EV's savings over that period, the annual savings rate, and the payback period — how many years of fuel savings it takes to recover the price premium.
The Formula Behind the Numbers
The math is deliberately transparent. Over the ownership period:
- Gas fuel cost = miles ÷ MPG × price per gallon.
- EV charging cost = miles × kWh per mile × price per kWh.
- Maintenance = annual maintenance × years, for each car.
- Total cost = fuel cost + maintenance, computed separately for each vehicle.
- Savings = gas total cost − EV total cost.
- Payback years = price premium ÷ annual savings.
Worked example on the defaults: 15,000 miles a year for 5 years is 75,000 miles. The gas car at 25 mpg and $3.50/gallon burns 3,000 gallons and costs $10,500 in fuel; with $800/year maintenance, its five-year operating cost is $14,500. The EV at 0.30 kWh/mi and $0.14/kWh uses 22,500 kWh and costs $3,150 to charge; with $500/year maintenance, its five-year operating cost is $5,650. The EV wins by $8,850 over five years, or about $1,770 per year. Against an $8,000 price premium, payback lands at roughly 4.5 years — comfortably inside the ownership window.
If annual savings are zero or negative (for example, you drive very few miles and pay premium public rates), the calculator reports that the EV never pays back on operating savings alone; the case then rests on driving pleasure, HOV-lane access, tax credits, and personal preference instead.
Miles Driven Is the Single Biggest Lever
The comparison is not symmetric. Fuel and charging costs scale directly with miles, while maintenance barely moves. A driver who covers 5,000 miles a year saves almost nothing by going electric, because maintenance is the bigger line item and the two cars are close. A driver who covers 30,000 miles a year — commuters, delivery drivers, small-business owners — sees the EV advantage explode: fuel savings double, while the price premium stays fixed, so payback can drop from years to months.
That is why fleets and taxi companies adopted EVs long before suburban families did. Higher utilization turns a marginal financial decision into an obvious one.
Electricity Rates Matter More Than You Think
The default $0.14/kWh assumes mostly home charging. If you rely on DC fast chargers at $0.35–$0.50/kWh, the EV's energy cost triples and the savings gap narrows sharply. Plug in your real blended rate: home at night, work for free, occasional highway fast charging. Drivers who can charge at home almost always come out ahead; drivers who depend entirely on public networks should run the numbers with the higher rate before signing.
Examples
Example 1 — The default sedan. 15,000 miles/year, gas car 25 mpg at $3.50/gal, EV at 0.30 kWh/mi and $0.14/kWh, $800 vs $500 maintenance, $8,000 premium. Five-year gas cost is $14,500; EV cost is $5,650; savings are $8,850; payback is 4.52 years. The EV wins inside a typical ownership cycle.
Example 2 — A high-mile commuter. Same prices, but 30,000 miles/year. Gas fuel cost doubles to $21,000 over five years; EV charging rises to $6,300. Savings jump to $16,200, and the $8,000 premium pays back in under 1.5 years. Doubling mileage roughly doubles the EV advantage.
Example 3 — Cheap gas, expensive electricity. At $4.50/gal gas but $0.30/kWh public charging, gas fuel cost is $13,500 and EV charging is $6,750. Savings shrink to $6,000 over five years, and payback stretches to 6.67 years — longer than many people keep a car. This is the scenario where plug-in hybrids still make sense.
Example 4 — Rarely driven car. At 5,000 miles/year, fuel and charging are tiny; maintenance dominates. The EV saves only about $300/year on operations, so an $8,000 premium takes 26+ years to pay back. Garage queens should stay gas.
FAQ
Is an electric car actually cheaper than a gas car?
On operating costs, usually yes for typical US drivers. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year, the EV typically saves $6,000–$10,000 on fuel and maintenance combined. Whether that beats the upfront price premium depends on how many miles you drive, your local gas and electricity prices, and the tax credits you can claim.
How long does it take for an EV to pay off its price premium?
Payback equals the price premium divided by your annual fuel-and-maintenance savings. Typical numbers: 4–6 years for average drivers, under 2 years for high-mileage commuters, and never for drivers who put fewer than 5,000 miles a year on the car.
Does home charging vs public charging change the result?
A lot. Home electricity at $0.12–$0.15/kWh makes EVs cheap to run. DC fast charging at $0.35–$0.50/kWh cuts the savings in half or worse. Always enter the blended rate you actually expect to pay rather than the national average.
Are EVs really cheaper to maintain?
Yes. EVs have no oil changes, spark plugs, timing belts, exhaust systems, or transmission fluid changes. The US Department of Energy estimates EV maintenance costs about half what a comparable gas car costs. Brake wear is also lower thanks to regenerative braking, though tires can cost more because EVs are heavier.
What miles-per-gallon equivalent should I use to compare?
Use the EV's kWh-per-mile figure directly instead of trying to convert to MPG-e. The EPA window sticker lists "30 kWh per 100 miles" on most EVs; divide by 100 to get 0.30 kWh/mi. Converting to MPG-e makes the math less accurate because it hides your local electricity rate.
Do federal tax credits change the calculation?
They can. Up to $7,500 in US federal tax credits, plus state rebates and lower registration fees, directly reduce the EV price premium. Subtract any credit you actually qualify for from the EV Price Premium field — do not add it as a separate input, or you will double-count.
Should I buy an EV if I rarely drive?
Probably not on pure economics. If you drive under 5,000 miles a year, fuel savings are too small to recover the premium, and the battery will age before it earns its keep. For low annual mileage, a gasoline hybrid or efficient gas car usually makes more financial sense.
Disclaimer
This gas vs electric car calculator is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, automotive, or purchasing advice. Estimates are based on the inputs you enter and standard cost-to-drive formulas published by the US EPA; actual fuel prices, electricity rates, maintenance schedules, tax-credit eligibility, and resale values vary by location, vehicle, and year. Always compare dealer invoices, current rebates, and your own utility tariff before making a purchase decision.