What does an electric car cost to own?
Charging at home versus in public, electricity versus gasoline per mile, battery life, and the point where a cheaper running cost repays a higher purchase price. Every assumption is on the page, so you can change it and get your own number instead of ours.
EV charging cost calculator
Electricity versus gasoline, and what a mile costs to drive.- EV electricity$2,700
- Gas car fuel$7,000
- EV cost per mile4.5c
- 1. Gas car fuel per year12,000 mi at 30 mpg and $3.50/gal, so 11.7c per mile$1,400
- 2. EV electricity per year12,000 mi at 0.30 kWh/mi and $0.15/kWh, so 4.5c per mile$540
- 3. You save per year$1,400 minus $540$860
- 4. Over 5 years$860 x 5 years$4,300
Fuel and electricity only. Purchase price, insurance, maintenance, depreciation and charger installation are not in this number. Switch the charging option to see why public fast charging changes the answer. See the full cost comparison
The six guides that answer most of it
If you read nothing else, read these in order. They build from what an EV costs to buy, through what it costs to charge, to how long the battery lasts.
Are Electric Cars Worth It
Are electric cars worth it? This teardown runs the real ownership math: purchase premium, home charging savings, maintenance, and the break-even point.
Read the guide →02Cost analysisAre Electric Cars Cheaper to Own Than Gas Cars
This teardown settles whether electric cars are cheaper to own than gas cars: price gap, cost per mile, five-year total cost, and the break-even year.
Read the guide →03Cost analysisEV Charging Cost at Home
EV charging cost at home, priced by this teardown: the cents-per-mile formula, monthly cost by mileage, and home versus public versus gasoline rates today.
Read the guide →04Cost analysisCost to Charge an EV at a Public Charging Station vs Home
This teardown prices the cost to charge an EV at a public charging station against home: per kWh and per minute billing, taper, idle fees, cost per mile.
Read the guide →05Cost analysisElectric Car Costs
This teardown prices electric car costs: how much do electric cars cost new and used, the drive-away total after tax and fees, and lease against finance.
Read the guide →06Ownership analysisHow Long Do EV Batteries Actually Last
This teardown covers how long EV batteries really last: actual degradation rates, warranty floors, what truly ages a pack, and why replacement is rare.
Read the guide →What we cover
Recently published and updated
Newest guideBest Electric Car for Commuting: What Actually Matters
Best electric car for commuting: why efficiency and price beat max range, the trims worth paying for, and the ones that waste money on a short commute.
Charging playbookEV Charging Networks Compared
EV charging networks compared: plug types and the NACS shift, coverage patterns, app and membership differences, and how to pick which ones to actually join.
Ownership analysisEV Extended Warranty
EV extended warranty coverage explained: what a plan adds beyond the factory warranty, OEM versus third-party plans, and whether it is actually worth buying.
Buying playbookHow to Finance an Electric Car
How to finance an electric car: how EV auto loan rates are set, where to shop, what a lender checks, and the mistakes that cost buyers the most at the curb.
Charging playbookCan You Charge an EV With a Generator
Can you charge an EV with a generator? Yes, with the right wattage and setup. This teardown covers sizing, safety rules, and when to skip it altogether.
Cost analysisState and Utility EV Incentives
State and utility EV incentives are still out there now that the federal EV tax credit has ended. Here is how the programs work and how to verify yours.
How it worksDo Electric Cars Catch Fire More Than Gas Cars
This teardown explains what actually causes EV battery fires, how they differ from gasoline car fires, and what current safety research says about frequency.
Charging playbookIs It Safe to Charge an EV in the Rain or Snow
This teardown explains why EV charging connectors are built for outdoor weather, what ground fault protection does, and when to actually worry about damage.
How it worksWhy Are Electric Cars So Quiet
Electric cars are quiet because there is no engine or exhaust to hear. This teardown explains why, plus the low-speed warning sound regulators require.
New guides by email
An occasional email when a cost guide goes up or gets reworked with new rates. Nothing else.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.What AmpLoft is, and what it is not
AmpLoft publishes cost arithmetic for electric-car ownership: charging, running costs, battery life, depreciation, and the point where an EV stops costing more than a gas car. It is a reading and calculating site, not a dealer, a broker or an installer.
What we cover
66 guides across 16 topics, all about the cost of running an electric car rather than how it feels to drive one.
Browse the guides →Where the numbers come from
Every figure is a stated assumption you can change: kWh per mile, your electricity rate, the gas price, the miles you drive. The arithmetic is printed on the page so you can check it rather than take it.
How the math works →What we do not do
We do not sell cars, chargers or insurance, we do not quote your home or your utility, and we do not publish prices for individual models. Nobody pays us to reach a conclusion.
About AmpLoft →How this site is funded
This site carries no affiliate links and no advertising. No link earns a commission. It never changes what a guide concludes.
Read the disclosure →Figures on this site are illustrative and move with your car, your driving, your electricity tariff, and where you live. Check current rates and prices before you rely on any number here.
Get an EV charger install cost breakdown by email
Tell us about your setup and we will email you a breakdown of what an install like that typically costs: panel work, run length, and the parts that blow the budget. We are not an electrician or a contractor, we do not do installs, and we cannot quote your home.