EV Cost Per Mile Calculator
Compare what each mile actually costs in an EV versus a gas car, at your local rates.
Free calculator, no signup required. Runs in your browser — your entries stay on this device (saved in this browser until you clear them) and are not sent to us.
The simplest fuel comparison
What does each mile actually cost you? For an EV: the price of electricity divided by how many miles you get per kilowatt-hour. For a gas car: the price of gas divided by your miles per gallon. Same question, two answers.
Worked example (illustrative assumptions)
Assumptions: 3.5 mi/kWh, $0.15 / kWh, 28 MPG and $3.50 / gallon. These are example inputs, not current averages. $0.15 ÷ 3.5 = $0.043 per mile — about $4.30 per 100 miles. The gas car: $3.50 ÷ 28 = $0.125 per mile — about $12.50 per 100 miles. Here the gas car costs roughly three times as much.
Example where the EV costs more: at $0.60 / kWh the same EV costs $0.60 ÷ 3.5 = $0.171 per mile, versus $0.125 for the gas car, so the EV costs about $0.046 more per mile. The result panel shows this as “EV costs more per mile” rather than a zero saving.
When the gap shrinks (or flips)
- A high electricity price. At an example $0.45 / kWh the EV costs about $0.13 / mile, close to the gas car in the example; above that the gas car is cheaper.
- A low electricity price. At an example $0.08 / kWh the EV costs under $0.025 / mile.
- Lower efficiency. Highway speeds and cold weather can lower your real mi/kWh, which raises the per-mile cost. Enter the figure you actually see.
- A $0 rate or price. Free charging or free fuel is allowed. The ratio is not shown when one cost is $0, because dividing by zero would invent a number.
This is fuel only — it ignores insurance, maintenance and the price difference of the cars themselves. Inputs must be finite: efficiency and MPG above 0; rate and gas price 0 or more. Charging losses vary by equipment and conditions (DOE/EPA fueleconomy.gov, Electric Vehicles, read October 15, 2026), so use an efficiency figure whose basis you know.
Frequently asked
How does EV cost per mile compare to gas?
It depends entirely on your two prices and two efficiencies, and the result can go either way. With the example inputs (3.5 mi/kWh, $0.15/kWh, 28 MPG, $3.50/gallon) the EV costs $0.043 per mile and the gas car $0.125, so the EV costs about a third as much. At $0.60/kWh the same EV costs $0.171 per mile, which is more than the gas car. The calculator shows whichever is cheaper.
What EV efficiency should I use?
Use the figure for your own vehicle. The 3.5 mi/kWh default is an example, not an average for your car. Check which basis your figure uses: a number measured at the wall includes charging losses, while a battery-side trip-computer number does not. Use the MPGe Efficiency Converter if you only know an MPGe figure.
Does the calculator include maintenance savings?
No. It covers only the per-mile fuel or electricity cost. Maintenance, insurance, depreciation and the vehicle price are separate; see the EV Annual Maintenance Cost and Total Cost of Ownership calculators.
What about DC fast charging?
Enter the per-kWh price you pay. As an illustration, at $0.45/kWh a 3.5 mi/kWh EV costs about $0.129 per mile, close to a 28 MPG gas car at $3.50/gallon ($0.125). Public charging prices vary by network, so use the price shown at the charger.
Does cold weather change my cost per mile?
It can. Lower efficiency raises the cost per mile in proportion: for example, 2.5 mi/kWh instead of 3.5 at the same $0.15/kWh is $0.060 per mile instead of $0.043. Enter the efficiency you actually see in cold weather.