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The short answer
At typical US home electricity rates, charging an EV costs meaningfully less per mile than fuelling a comparable gas car, often by a factor of two or three. The two things that change the answer most are your electricity rate and whether you charge at home or rely on public fast charging. Put your own numbers in below.
Run your numbers
EV vs Gas: Annual Running Cost
Fuel and charging only. Edit any number to match your situation.
Electric
Gasoline
You save per year
$0
Fuel and charging costs only. Excludes insurance, depreciation, maintenance, and tires. Estimate for comparison, not financial advice.
How to get an honest answer
- Use your actual electricity rate from your bill, not a national average. If you have time-of-use rates and charge overnight, use the off-peak rate, because that is what you will really pay.
- Use the car's real efficiency, not the best-case figure. Winter and highway driving both reduce it.
- If you rely on public fast charging, enter that much higher rate instead. This is the single biggest thing that changes the answer.
- Remember what this excludes. Insurance, depreciation, maintenance, and tires are not here. See what an EV actually costs to run for the full picture.
How to get numbers you can trust
- Use your real electricity rate, not the national average. Check a recent bill and use the rate you would actually charge on, including any off-peak tariff.
- Use your real fuel economy, not the manufacturer figure. Divide miles driven by fuel used over a few tanks.
- Use realistic EV efficiency. Around 3 to 4 miles per kWh is typical for a mid-size EV in mixed driving, less in winter or at motorway speeds.
- Be honest about where you charge. If a third of your charging is public rapid, blend the rates rather than using the home rate for everything.
What this calculator does not include
It compares running cost per mile. It deliberately leaves out purchase price, depreciation, insurance and servicing, because those swamp fuel costs and depend heavily on the specific cars being compared.
That matters: fuel is where EVs win most clearly, so a fuel-only comparison flatters them, while depreciation and insurance usually favour the petrol car. For the fuller picture see what an EV actually costs to run.
The result that surprises people
The gap narrows sharply if you cannot charge at home. Public rapid charging can cost several times the home rate, and at the top end approaches the per-mile cost of petrol. If most of your charging would be public, run the numbers with that rate before assuming an EV saves money.
Conversely, home charging on an off-peak tariff produces the largest gap most people will see between two ways of moving the same distance.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate EV cost per mile?
Divide your electricity rate in cents per kWh by your car efficiency in miles per kWh. At 15 cents per kWh and 3.5 miles per kWh, that is about 4.3 cents per mile.
Is charging at home cheaper than petrol?
Usually much cheaper, especially on an off-peak tariff. The advantage shrinks considerably if you rely on public rapid charging, which can cost several times the home rate.
What efficiency should I assume for an EV?
Around 3 to 4 miles per kWh for a mid-size EV in mixed driving. Expect less in cold weather and at sustained motorway speeds, since drag rises sharply with speed.
Does this include the cost of buying the car?
No. This compares running cost per mile only. Purchase price, depreciation, insurance and servicing are excluded, and depreciation in particular is usually the largest cost of ownership.