Should You Buy an EV or Gas Car?
See the real ownership cost in 30 seconds — including charging, fuel, maintenance, depreciation, and break-even analysis.
Your Numbers
Adjust the inputs to match your situation. Results update instantly.
Average American drives ~13,500 miles/year
Your verdict
Best Overall Value
Gas Is Cheaper for This Scenario
Total savings
$1,253
over 5 years
Monthly savings
$145
on operating costs
Break-even
4.9 years
within ownership period
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L costs $1,253 less over 5 years than the Rivian R1S.
SUV
Tesla Model Y vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Compared within the same vehicle class for a fair result
Tesla Model Y vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid— compared within same vehicle class
Gas Is Cheaper for This Scenario
Total savings
$4,528
over 5 years
Monthly savings
$73
on operating costs
Break-even
7.9 years
beyond ownership period
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid costs $4,528 less over 5 years than the Tesla Model Y.
Break-even falls outside your ownership period. You may not recover the extra upfront cost.
Total savings
$4,528
over 5 years
Monthly operating savings
$73
fuel + maintenance
Break-even
7.9 years
beyond ownership period
Compared vehicles
Model Y vs RAV4 Hybrid
SUV
Full Cost Breakdown
| Tesla Model Y | Toyota RAV4 HybridBest | |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $44,990 | $35,385 |
| Monthly Fuel | $35 | $88 |
| Annual Fuel | $421 | $1,050 |
| Total Fuel | $2,106 | $5,250 |
| Total Maintenance | $3,000 | $5,500 |
| Total Insurance | $10,500 | $9,250 |
| Resale Value | $24,745 | $24,062 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | $35,852 | $31,323 |
Tesla Model Y
Electric
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
BestGas
Cost Over 5 Years
Why This Result
At your inputs, the gas vehicle's lower purchase price wins out. The EV would need about 7.9 years to break even — beyond your 5-year ownership window. Driving more miles or higher gas prices could tip the balance toward the EV.
Fuel vs Charging
Charging the Model Y costs about $421/year vs $1050/year for gas in the RAV4 Hybrid. That's $629/year in fuel savings alone.
Maintenance
EVs have fewer moving parts — no oil changes, less brake wear, no transmission fluid. The Model Y saves roughly $2500 in maintenance over the ownership period.
Depreciation & Resale
The RAV4 Hybrid holds 68% of its value vs 55% for the Model Y. Purchase price and resale value are often the largest factors in total cost of ownership.
Insurance
EV insurance tends to run higher due to specialized repair costs. We've included $2,100/year for the Model Y vs $1,850/year for the RAV4 Hybrid in the total comparison.
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At my mileage, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid beats the Tesla Model Y by $4,528 over 5 years. Check yours →
Sedan
Lucid Air vs BMW 5 Series
Compared within the same vehicle class for a fair result
Lucid Air vs BMW 5 Series— compared within same vehicle class
Gas Is Cheaper for This Scenario
Total savings
$1,357
over 5 years
Monthly savings
$127
on operating costs
Break-even
5 years
within ownership period
The BMW 5 Series costs $1,357 less over 5 years than the Lucid Air.
Total savings
$1,357
over 5 years
Monthly operating savings
$127
fuel + maintenance
Break-even
5 years
achievable within ownership
Compared vehicles
Lucid Air vs BMW 540i
Sedan
Full Cost Breakdown
| Lucid Air | BMW 5 SeriesBest | |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $69,900 | $57,700 |
| Monthly Fuel | $31 | $125 |
| Annual Fuel | $374 | $1,500 |
| Total Fuel | $1,872 | $7,500 |
| Total Maintenance | $3,500 | $7,000 |
| Total Insurance | $14,000 | $12,500 |
| Resale Value | $34,950 | $31,735 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | $54,322 | $52,965 |
Lucid Air
Electric
BMW 5 Series
BestGas
Cost Over 5 Years
Why This Result
At your inputs, the gas vehicle's lower purchase price wins out. The EV's higher upfront and depreciation costs outweigh its fuel and maintenance savings at your current mileage. Driving more miles or higher gas prices could tip the balance toward the EV.
Fuel vs Charging
Charging the Lucid Air costs about $374/year vs $1500/year for gas in the BMW 540i. That's $1126/year in fuel savings alone.
Maintenance
EVs have fewer moving parts — no oil changes, less brake wear, no transmission fluid. The Lucid Air saves roughly $3500 in maintenance over the ownership period.
Depreciation & Resale
The BMW 540i holds 55% of its value vs 50% for the Lucid Air. Purchase price and resale value are often the largest factors in total cost of ownership.
Insurance
EV insurance tends to run higher due to specialized repair costs. We've included $2,800/year for the Lucid Air vs $2,500/year for the BMW 540i in the total comparison.
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Let others see how the numbers compare.
At my mileage, the BMW 5 Series beats the Lucid Air by $1,357 over 5 years. Check yours →
Adventure SUV
Rivian R1S vs Jeep Grand Cherokee L
Compared within the same vehicle class for a fair result
Rivian R1S vs Jeep Grand Cherokee L— compared within same vehicle class
Gas Is Cheaper for This Scenario
Total savings
$1,253
over 5 years
Monthly savings
$145
on operating costs
Break-even
4.9 years
within ownership period
The Jeep Grand Cherokee L costs $1,253 less over 5 years than the Rivian R1S.
Total savings
$1,253
over 5 years
Monthly operating savings
$145
fuel + maintenance
Break-even
4.9 years
achievable within ownership
Compared vehicles
Rivian R1S vs Grand Cherokee
Adventure SUV
Full Cost Breakdown
| Rivian R1S | Jeep Grand Cherokee LBest | |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $75,900 | $62,995 |
| Monthly Fuel | $43 | $159 |
| Annual Fuel | $515 | $1,909 |
| Total Fuel | $2,574 | $9,545 |
| Total Maintenance | $3,250 | $6,500 |
| Total Insurance | $13,000 | $11,500 |
| Resale Value | $39,468 | $36,537 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | $55,256 | $54,003 |
Rivian R1S
Electric
Jeep Grand Cherokee L
BestGas
Cost Over 5 Years
Why This Result
At your inputs, the gas vehicle's lower purchase price wins out. The EV's higher upfront and depreciation costs outweigh its fuel and maintenance savings at your current mileage. Driving more miles or higher gas prices could tip the balance toward the EV.
Fuel vs Charging
Charging the Rivian R1S costs about $515/year vs $1909/year for gas in the Grand Cherokee. That's $1394/year in fuel savings alone.
Maintenance
EVs have fewer moving parts — no oil changes, less brake wear, no transmission fluid. The Rivian R1S saves roughly $3250 in maintenance over the ownership period.
Depreciation & Resale
The Grand Cherokee holds 58% of its value vs 52% for the Rivian R1S. Purchase price and resale value are often the largest factors in total cost of ownership.
Insurance
EV insurance tends to run higher due to specialized repair costs. We've included $2,600/year for the Rivian R1S vs $2,300/year for the Grand Cherokee in the total comparison.
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Let others see how the numbers compare.
At my mileage, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L beats the Rivian R1S by $1,253 over 5 years. Check yours →
Custom comparison
Want to Compare Different Vehicles?
Choose from 6 popular EVs and 16 gas or hybrid vehicles to build your own head-to-head matchup.
Our Assumptions
Transparency builds trust. Here's exactly how we calculate results.
Total Cost of Ownership
Purchase price + fuel/charging + maintenance + insurance − estimated resale value. This gives you the true all-in cost of owning each vehicle.
Fuel & Charging
EV cost = monthly miles × kWh per mile × electricity price. Gas cost = monthly miles ÷ MPG × gas price. We use real efficiency figures for each vehicle.
Depreciation & Resale
We estimate resale value using average depreciation rates for each model. This is simplified — real depreciation varies by condition, mileage, and market demand.
Maintenance & Insurance
Annual estimates based on industry averages for each vehicle class. EVs typically cost less to maintain but more to insure.
Fair Comparison
Each EV is compared against a gas vehicle in the same class. SUV vs SUV, sedan vs sedan. We never compare a luxury EV against an economy gas car.
What We Don't Include
Tax credits, financing costs, home charger installation, time value of money, or regional incentives. These vary too much by individual situation for a general tool.
These estimates are directional, not precise financial advice. Your actual costs will depend on your specific vehicle, driving habits, local utility rates, and financing terms.
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Explore DealsFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about EV vs gas cost comparisons.