EV Cost per Mile Calculator (vs Gas)

EPA combined ratings translate to: efficient sedans 3.8–4.5 mi/kWh, crossovers 3.0–3.6, large SUVs and trucks 2.0–2.8. Real-world matches EPA closely in mild weather, drops 20–30% in freezing temperatures (cabin heat is the thief; heat pumps claw half back) and ~10% at sustained 75-mph highway. Use the rating for comparison shopping, then knock 10% off for honest annual budgeting in a four-season climate.

Dramatically — it's the gas-station business model with electrons: 40–60¢/kWh versus a 12–18¢ home rate. At 50¢/kWh and 3.0 mi/kWh, the EV costs 16.7¢/mile — more than a 30-MPG gas car at $3.55. An EV charged exclusively on fast chargers can genuinely cost more per mile than a Corolla. The economics work when the routine is home/workplace charging with fast charging reserved for trips; this calculator's break-even output shows your exact crossover price.

They're often the single biggest lever: utilities with EV plans sell overnight electricity at 5–10¢/kWh — at 8¢ and 3.5 mi/kWh, that's 2.3¢/mile, a tenth of the gas car. The same utility's peak rate may be 35¢. A $50 smart-charging schedule (or the car's built-in scheduler) set to the super-off-peak window routinely halves annual charging cost. Check your utility's EV tariff before believing any generic savings claim, including this page's defaults.

It widens the EV's lead but belongs in a separate ledger: no oil changes, no plugs or belts, regenerative braking that doubles or triples brake life — fleet data typically shows 30–40% lower scheduled-maintenance cost per mile. Against it, budget tires (EVs wear them 10–20% faster from weight and torque) and the long-run battery question, which modern warranties (8 yr/100k+) mostly absorb. This calculator stays a fuel-only referee on purpose: it's the number people actually dispute.