EV vs gas calculator
Fueled at U.S. average prices, a 2026 Tesla Model 3 costs about $670 a year to charge at home and a 2026 Honda Civic about $1,810 in fuel: $1,140 less per year for the EV. Change either car, your state or your mileage to see your own numbers.
Fuel cost comparison
Charging the 2026 Tesla Model 3 at home costs about $670 a year against $1,810 to fuel the 2026 Honda Civic: $1,140 less a year, $5,700 less over 5 years.
- Difference per year
- $1,140
- less a year with the EV · $5,700 less over 5 years
- Electric car, per year
- $670
- 2026 Tesla Model 3
- Gas car, per year
- $1,810
- 2026 Honda Civic
Fuel cost over time
| Period | Electric car | Gas car | Saved with EV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $670 | $1,810 | $1,140 |
| 3 years | $2,010 | $5,430 | $3,420 |
| 5 years | $3,350 | $9,050 | $5,700 |
| 10 years | $6,700 | $18,100 | $11,400 |
Assumptions used
- 15,000 mi a year (≈ 24,140 km) for 5 years.
- Regular gasoline: $4.36/gal (U.S. average, EIA, Sep 2026).
- Electricity: 18.3¢/kWh (U.S. average, EIA residential, Jul 2026).
- The electric car is charged at home at the residential electricity price. Public fast charging usually costs more per kWh.
- Prices are held flat, so every multi-year figure is the rounded yearly cost times the number of years.
- Yearly costs are rounded to the nearest $10 and every difference is calculated from the rounded values, so the numbers add up.
Fuel costs only. This does not include purchase price, charging equipment, maintenance, incentives or insurance.
What this calculator compares
It compares what an electric car and a gas, hybrid or diesel car cost to fuel for the same yearly mileage, at the electricity and gasoline prices of the state you choose. Pick two real cars from the EPA database or enter the efficiency figures yourself.
The answer is a fuel cost difference per year and over the number of years you pick. It deliberately leaves out everything that is not fuel, so it shows one part of the cost of owning a car rather than the whole picture.
How the difference is calculated
Electric car: miles per year × kWh per 100 miles ÷ 100 × the residential price per kWh. Gas or hybrid car: miles per year ÷ combined MPG × the price per gallon of the fuel it takes.
Each yearly cost is rounded to the nearest $10. The yearly difference is the gas car's rounded cost minus the EV's rounded cost, and the multi-year figures are that difference times the number of years, so every number on the page adds up.
A plug-in hybrid is priced with EPA's utility factor: the share of miles driven on electricity at the electricity price, the rest on gasoline.
Assumptions
- Fuel costs only: no purchase price, charging equipment, maintenance, incentives, taxes, insurance or resale value.
- All charging happens at home at the state's residential electricity price, unless you type your own price. Public fast charging often costs more.
- Both cars drive the same miles a year, 15,000 unless you change it, and prices stay the same for every year compared.
- Gasoline uses EIA monthly retail prices: the state's own series where one exists, otherwise its region's. Alaska and Hawaii need a typed gas price.
- Real efficiency varies with weather, speed, load and driving style, and electric cars lose range in the cold.
Where the numbers come from and how fresh they are:
Frequently asked questions
Is an electric car really cheaper to fuel than a gas car?
Often, but it depends on both prices and both cars. The comparison above uses the real EPA ratings and your state's EIA prices, so you can see where the gap is wide and where it is small. The charging cost guide covers home versus public charging.
Does this include the price of the car?
No. It compares fuel only. Purchase price, charging equipment, maintenance, incentives and insurance are not included, so do not read the result as the full cost of ownership.
Why does the state change the answer so much?
Residential electricity and gasoline prices both vary by state. A state with cheap electricity and expensive gasoline widens the gap; the reverse narrows it. Pick your state to see yours.
How are plug-in hybrids treated?
They are priced with EPA's utility factor: a share of miles on electricity and the rest on gasoline at the car's gasoline MPG. See how plug-in hybrids are rated.
How do I enter my own electricity price?
Type it in the electricity price field in dollars per kWh, for example from your utility bill. It replaces the state average. Leave it empty to use EIA's residential average for the state.