EV calculator Free · No signup All 50 US states

EV vs Gas Cost Calculator 2026: Fuel Cost Per Mile

Compare 2026 EV charging vs gasoline costs per mile and per year. Enter your mileage, gas price, MPG and electricity rate to see 5-year fuel savings and CO2.

✓ EIA & NREL data ✓ 2026 federal policy applied ✓ Runs in your browser — nothing stored

· By Green Energy Calculators Editorial Team

4.7¢ EV cost per mile (home)
10.8¢ Gas cost per mile (30 MPG)
~$740 Annual fuel savings (12k mi)

Update an input to refresh the available results. Results depend on the information you provide and may require local utility or program details.

Your driving details
12,000 mi/yr
Typical US drivers cover about 12,000–13,500 miles a year (FHWA).
$
Use your local pump price. EIA and AAA publish weekly state averages.
30 MPG
Use real-world combined MPG (fueleconomy.gov lists EPA ratings).
$
Check your bill or use the state selector. US residential average: $0.182/kWh (EIA, July 2026 year-to-date). Use your off-peak rate if you charge overnight on a time-of-use plan.
3.5 mi/kWh
Efficient sedans: about 4. Small SUVs: 3–3.5. Electric pickups: 2–2.5.
$
Level 2 installs typically run $1,200–$2,500. Leave at 0 if you will use a standard outlet. The federal charger credit (§30C) ended for chargers placed in service after Jun 30, 2026.
$
Only confirmed state or utility charger rebates. No federal EV purchase credit applies in 2026.
Annual fuel cost comparison
Gas car annual fuel cost
$1,300
EV annual charging cost
$624
Annual savings with EV
$741
5-year fuel savings
$3,706
CO2 reduction
2.2 tons/yr
EV cost per mile
5.2¢/mi
Gas cost per mile
10.8¢/mi
Charger cost recovered in
No charger cost entered
Estimates only, fuel costs only (purchase price, insurance and maintenance are not included). Assumes home charging with no charging losses and no federal EV or charger tax credit (§30D and §25E ended for vehicles acquired after Sep 30, 2025; §30C ended for chargers placed in service after Jun 30, 2026).

How much does an EV save on fuel compared with a gas car?

At US average prices, an EV usually costs well under half as much per mile to fuel at home. With 18.19¢/kWh electricity (EIA, July 2026 year-to-date), 3.5 miles per kWh, $3.25 gas and a 30 MPG car, the EV costs about $624 a year to charge versus $1,300 for gas over 12,000 miles, saving roughly $676 a year.

Home electricity rateEV cost per mileEV annual costGas annual cost ($3.25, 30 MPG)Annual savings
$0.10/kWh (cheap off-peak)2.9¢~$343$1,300~$957
$0.182/kWh (US average, EIA, July 2026 year-to-date)5.2¢~$624$1,300~$676
$0.25/kWh (high-rate state)7.1¢~$857$1,300~$443
$0.35/kWh (very high rate)10.0¢~$1,200$1,300~$100
$0.45/kWh (DC fast charging)12.9¢~$1,543$1,300~$-243

Assumptions: 12,000 miles a year, EV efficiency 3.5 mi/kWh, no charging losses, gas car 30 MPG at $3.25 a gallon (illustrative US regular gasoline price used by this site; enter your local price). Rates other than the US average are examples; use your own bill or the state selector (EIA state averages).

How do gas prices change EV savings?

Every 50¢ change in the gas price moves the savings for a 30 MPG, 12,000-mile driver by about $200 a year. At the US average electricity rate, savings range from about $476 a year at $2.75 gas to about $1,176 a year at $4.50 gas.

Gas priceGas annual cost (30 MPG)EV annual cost (18.19¢/kWh)Annual savings5-year savings
$2.75$1,100~$624~$476~$2,400
$3.25$1,300~$624~$676~$3,400
$3.75$1,500~$624~$876~$4,400
$4.50$1,800~$624~$1,176~$5,900

Assumptions: 12,000 miles a year, EV at 3.5 mi/kWh charged at home at $0.182/kWh, prices held flat for 5 years.

Is there a federal EV or charger tax credit in 2026?

No. The new clean vehicle credit (§30D, up to $7,500) and used clean vehicle credit (§25E, up to $4,000) ended for vehicles acquired after Sep 30, 2025, and the alternative fuel refueling property credit (§30C) ended for home chargers placed in service after Jun 30, 2026. These changes come from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21, signed July 4, 2025), as summarized in the IRS FAQ. What can still help: state EV rebates, utility charger rebates and EV time-of-use rates. Search DSIRE or your state energy office. Not tax advice; confirm with a tax professional.

How can you cut EV charging costs further?

Charge at home, overnight, on a time-of-use or EV rate. Many utilities price off-peak power well below their standard rate, which can push EV fuel costs toward 2–3¢ a mile. Home solar can lower the effective rate further; see the solar savings calculator for the 2026 math, keeping in mind the homeowner solar credit (§25D) also ended after Dec 31, 2025.

Sources: IRS FAQ on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act changes to §30D, §25E and §30C; U.S. Energy Information Administration (electricity and gasoline prices); U.S. EPA (CO2 per gallon of gasoline); FHWA (average annual miles driven); DSIRE (state and utility incentives).

Estimate scope & data quality

This tool provides an input-driven estimate. Use the required inputs shown above and review the result limitations below.

Data quality
NOT_AVAILABLE
Result limitation
Calculator output is not a source-complete customer result.

A tariff credit is distinct from annual savings. If a result is NOT_COMPUTABLE or CONFLICT, it must not be replaced with an estimate or treated as canonical.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter your annual mileage (the odometer difference over 12 months, or about 12,000–13,500 miles for a typical US driver).
  2. Enter your local gas price per gallon and your current car's real-world MPG.
  3. Enter your home electricity rate in $/kWh from your bill, or load your state's average with the state selector (US residential average: $0.182/kWh, EIA, July 2026 year-to-date).
  4. Enter the EV's efficiency in miles per kWh (about 3–4 for most sedans and small SUVs, 2–2.5 for electric pickups).
  5. Optionally enter a home Level 2 charger cost and any confirmed state or utility rebate to see how fast fuel savings recover it.
  6. Read annual fuel costs, annual and 5-year savings, cost per mile and CO2 reduction. No federal EV or charger tax credit is applied in 2026.

Understanding your results

Gas cost = (annual miles ÷ MPG) × gas price. Example: 12,000 miles ÷ 30 MPG = 400 gallons × $3.25 = $1,300 a year.

EV charging cost = (annual miles ÷ miles per kWh) × electricity rate. Example: 12,000 ÷ 3.5 = 3,429 kWh × $0.182/kWh = about $624 a year. This assumes home charging; charging losses of roughly 10% are not included, so real costs can be a little higher.

Cost per mile is the clearest way to compare: $3.25 ÷ 30 MPG ≈ 10.8¢ a mile for gas, $0.182 ÷ 3.5 ≈ 5.2¢ a mile for the EV.

CO2 reduction uses about 8.887 kg of CO2 per gallon of gasoline (EPA) and about 0.386 kg per kWh for average US grid electricity. Results are in metric tons per year. A cleaner local grid or home solar makes the EV side lower.

Federal credits in 2026: none for most drivers. The New Clean Vehicle Credit (§30D, up to $7,500) and Used Clean Vehicle Credit (§25E, up to $4,000) ended for vehicles acquired after Sep 30, 2025, and the charger credit (§30C) ended for chargers placed in service after Jun 30, 2026 (IRS FAQ on Public Law 119-21). Some states and utilities still offer EV or charger rebates; enter only amounts you have confirmed. This is not tax advice; confirm with a tax professional.

Frequently asked questions

Direct answers for US homeowners.

At the US residential average of 18.19¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026 year-to-date), an EV that goes 3.5 miles per kWh costs about 5.2¢ a mile to charge at home. A 30 MPG car at $3.25 a gallon costs about 10.8¢ a mile. Over 12,000 miles that is roughly $624 versus $1,300, a saving of about $676 a year. Savings rise with higher gas prices and fall with higher electricity rates.

Related guides

In-depth articles on sizing, costs, and energy decisions.

How Much Do Solar Panels Save Per Month? (2026 Guide)

Related calculators

Free tools for US homeowners — instant results, all 50 states.

EV Charging Cost Calculator 2026: Home Cost per Month
Calculate your 2026 EV home charging cost per month, per year and per mile, and compare …
Solar EV Charging Savings Calculator (2026)
Estimate how much solar it takes to charge your EV at home, what the added panels cost in …
EV Road Trip Cost Calculator 2026: Charging vs Gas
Estimate the total charging cost of an EV road trip in 2026. Mix home and DC fast charging …
Home Carbon Footprint Calculator 2026: Energy & Driving
Estimate your household's yearly CO2 from electricity, gas heating and driving, then see …
– out of 5 0 ratings

Was this calculator helpful?