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.
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Average American drives ~13,500 miles/year
Charge at home overnight — cheapest option
Your verdict
Best Overall Value
Based on lowest total cost of ownership among the three category-matched comparisons below.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Is Cheaper
Gas saves you
$3,154
over 5 years
EV saves per month
$94
fuel + maintenance
Operating cost payback
6 years
beyond ownership
The Subaru Forester costs $3,154 less over 5 years than the Tesla Model Y.
Operating cost payback falls outside your ownership period. You may not recover the extra upfront cost through fuel and maintenance savings alone.
SUV
Tesla Model Y vs Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
EV vs Gas vs Hybrid — same vehicle class
Tesla Model Y vs Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid— same vehicle class
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Is Cheaper
Gas saves you
$3,154
over 5 years
EV saves per month
$94
fuel + maintenance
Operating cost payback
6 years
beyond ownership
The Subaru Forester costs $3,154 less over 5 years than the Tesla Model Y.
Operating cost payback falls outside your ownership period. You may not recover the extra upfront cost through fuel and maintenance savings alone.
Gas saves you
$3,154
over 5 years (all-in)
EV saves per month
$94
fuel + maintenance
Operating cost payback
6 years
beyond ownership period
Vehicles compared
Model Y · Forester · RAV4 Hybrid
EV · Gas · Hybrid
Full Cost BreakdownEV vs Gas vs Hybrid
| Tesla Model YElectric | Subaru ForesterGas | Toyota RAV4 HybridBestHybrid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $44,990 | $33,695 | $35,385 |
| Monthly Fuel | $35 | $121 | $88 |
| Annual Fuel | $421 | $1,448 | $1,050 |
| Total Fuel | $2,106 | $7,241 | $5,250 |
| Total Maintenance | $3,000 | $5,250 | $5,000 |
| Total Insurance | $10,500 | $8,750 | $9,250 |
| Resale Value | $24,745 | $22,239 | $24,062 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | $35,852 | $32,698 | $30,823 |
Tesla Model Y
Electric
Subaru Forester
Gas
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Hybrid
Cost Over 5 Years
Why This Result
The gas vehicle's lower purchase price and depreciation outweigh the EV's fuel savings at your current mileage. Consider the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid as a middle ground — it costs $1,874 less than pure gas. Driving more or higher gas prices could change this.
Fuel vs Charging
Charging the Model Y costs about $421/year vs $1448/year for gas in the Forester. That's $1027/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 $2250 in maintenance over the ownership period.
Depreciation & Resale
The Forester holds 66% 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 $1,750/year for the Forester in the total comparison.
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Let others see how the numbers compare.
At my mileage, the Subaru Forester beats the Tesla Model Y by $3,154 over 5 years. Check yours → isevworthit.com
Sedan
Lucid Air Pure vs BMW 530i xDrive vs Mercedes-Benz E 350 4MATIC
EV vs Gas vs Gas — same vehicle class
Lucid Air Pure vs BMW 530i xDrive vs Mercedes-Benz E 350 4MATIC— same vehicle class
Lucid Air Pure Saves You Money
EV saves you
$13,625
over 5 years
EV saves per month
$85
fuel + maintenance
The Lucid Air Pure saves you $13,625 over 5 years compared to the BMW 530i xDrive.
EV saves you
$13,625
over 5 years (all-in)
EV saves per month
$85
fuel + maintenance
Operating cost payback
Immediate
achievable within ownership
Vehicles compared
Lucid Air · BMW 530i · E 350 4MATIC
EV · Gas · Hybrid
Full Cost BreakdownEV vs Gas vs Hybrid
| Lucid Air PureBestElectric | BMW 530i xDriveGas | Mercedes-Benz E 350 4MATICGas | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $70,900 | $64,250 | $64,950 |
| Monthly Fuel | $31 | $117 | $130 |
| Annual Fuel | $374 | $1,400 | $1,556 |
| Total Fuel | $1,872 | $7,000 | $7,778 |
| Total Maintenance | $3,500 | $6,000 | $3,720 |
| Total Insurance | $14,000 | $11,500 | $15,220 |
| Resale Value | $35,450 | $20,303 | $31,514 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | $54,822 | $68,447 | $60,154 |
Lucid Air Pure
Electric
BMW 530i xDrive
Gas
Mercedes-Benz E 350 4MATIC
Gas
Cost Over 5 Years
Why This Result
The EV costs less from the start when factoring in all ownership costs. Lower charging costs and reduced maintenance give the EV a clear cost advantage at your mileage. The Mercedes-Benz E 350 4MATIC falls in between at $60,154 total.
Fuel vs Charging
Charging the Lucid Air costs about $374/year vs $1400/year for gas in the BMW 530i. That's $1026/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 $2500 in maintenance over the ownership period.
Depreciation & Resale
The BMW 530i holds 32% 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 $2,300/year for the BMW 530i in the total comparison.
Share Your Result
Let others see how the numbers compare.
I'd save $13,625 over 5 years with a Lucid Air Pure vs BMW 530i xDrive. Check yours → isevworthit.com
Adventure SUV
Rivian R1S vs Jeep Grand Cherokee L
Compared within the same vehicle class
Rivian R1S vs Jeep Grand Cherokee L— same vehicle class
Too Close to Call
Gas saves you
$1,253
over 5 years
EV saves per month
$145
fuel + maintenance
Operating cost payback
4.9 years
within ownership
The difference between the Rivian R1S and Jeep Grand Cherokee L is small — only $1,253 over 5 years.
Gas saves you
$1,253
over 5 years (all-in)
EV saves per month
$145
fuel + maintenance
Operating cost payback
4.9 years
achievable within ownership
Vehicles compared
Rivian R1S vs Grand Cherokee L
Adventure SUV
Full Cost Breakdown
| Rivian R1SElectric | Jeep Grand Cherokee LBestGas | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Gas
Cost Over 5 Years
Why This Result
At your inputs, neither option has a decisive cost advantage. Small changes in gas prices, electricity rates, or driving habits could tip the balance either way.
Fuel vs Charging
Charging the Rivian R1S costs about $515/year vs $1909/year for gas in the Grand Cherokee L. 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 L 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 L in the total comparison.
Share Your Result
Let others see how the numbers compare.
EV vs Gas is a close call for me — only $1,253 difference over 5 years. Check yours → isevworthit.com
Custom comparison
Want to Compare Different Vehicles?
Choose from 6 EVs, 6 hybrids, and 16 gas vehicles to build your own head-to-head matchup.
How We Calculate EV vs Gas Cost
A simple, transparent process that gives you a clear answer in seconds.
Enter your driving details
Tell us your annual mileage, local gas price, electricity rate, and how long you plan to own the vehicle. We pre-fill with your state's averages.
We compare total ownership cost
We calculate the all-in cost for each vehicle — purchase price, fuel or charging, maintenance, insurance, and estimated resale value after depreciation.
Get your personalized verdict
See which option costs less, how much you save, and when you break even. Each EV is compared against a gas vehicle in the same class for a fair result.
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Data Sources & Assumptions
Transparency builds trust. Here's exactly how we calculate results and where our data comes from.
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.
Gas & Electricity Prices
Gas prices based on US state averages from AAA. Electricity rates based on regional residential averages from the EIA (Energy Information Administration). You can override both with your actual rates.
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. Figures are modeled using simplified industry estimates.
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.
Last updated: March 2026. 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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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about EV vs gas cost comparisons.