EV vs gas: cost per mile and per month
At the US average residential rate of 18.16¢/kWh and $4.17/gal gas, driving 35 miles a day costs about $75.60 a month in an EV (7.1¢ per mile) and $158.46 in a 28 mpg gas car (14.9¢ per mile). The EV comes out $82.86 a month cheaper on fuel alone at these assumptions.
Home chargingPublic chargingGasoline
The break-even electricity rate
With everything charged at home, the EV and the gas car cost the same per month when electricity is about 44¢/kWh (30 kWh/100 mi, 12% charging loss, 28 mpg, $4.17/gal). Below that rate the EV wins on fuel; above it the gas car does. Only one state average residential rate is above that line today (HI); an EV charged mostly on expensive public fast chargers can cross it anywhere.
Same driving, five states
| State | ¢/kWh | EV / month | Gas / month | EV saves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WA | 14.63 | $64.08 | $158.46 | $94.38 |
| TX | 15.91 | $68.26 | $158.46 | $90.20 |
| NY | 28.65 | $109.85 | $158.46 | $48.61 |
| CA | 29.75 | $113.44 | $158.46 | $45.02 |
| HI | 47.18 | $170.34 | $158.46 | -$11.88 |
Gas is the national average in every row; your local price will move the gas column. The EV column uses each state's average residential rate, which is usually above an EV time-of-use off-peak rate and below a public fast-charging rate.
What this comparison leaves out
- Purchase price, depreciation, insurance, registration, tires and maintenance. This is a fuel-only comparison.
- Time-of-use pricing. If your utility has an EV rate, the cheapest period is often half the state average; the utility pages on this site show the published rates for PG&E, SCE and SDG&E.
- Cold weather. EV efficiency drops in winter, sometimes by a quarter or more; the "efficiency 20% worse" row of the sensitivity table on the home page shows the effect.
- Taxes, fixed charges and tiered pricing on the electricity side, and fuel taxes already inside the gas price on the other.
Assumptions and sources
- Electricity: EIA average residential price by state, period 2026-08, retrieved 2026-11-02 (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (EIA-861M)).
- Gas: AAA national average for regular, $4.17/gal as of 2026-11-02.
- Month = 30.4 days. Loss = 12% of wall energy. Public charging at 45¢/kWh for the 10% not charged at home.