EV Trip Cost Calculator
Work out the fuel cost of any specific trip in an EV — and how much you save versus a gas car.
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.
What a trip actually costs
For a specific drive — a weekend road trip, a holiday visit, an upcoming commute — this gives you the charging cost in an EV side-by-side with the equivalent gas-car fuel cost. Useful for talking yourself into (or out of) a long EV trip.
Worked example (illustrative assumptions)
Assumptions: 500 miles, 3.5 mi/kWh, $0.15/kWh, 28 MPG and $3.50/gallon. These are example inputs, not current averages. The EV uses 500 ÷ 3.5 = 142.9 kWh, costing about $21. The gas car uses 500 ÷ 28 = 17.9 gallons, costing about $63 — the EV costs about $42 less for this trip.
Example where the EV costs more: at $0.60/kWh the same EV trip costs 142.9 × $0.60 = about $86, which is about $23 more than the $63 gas trip. The result panel shows this as “EV costs more on this trip” instead of a zero saving.
For a more realistic number
- Highway speeds can cut efficiency. For a long highway-only trip, enter the lower mi/kWh you expect at that speed.
- Mixed home + public charging. Blend the rates by energy share. For example, 80% at $0.15 and 20% at $0.45 gives an effective $0.21/kWh. These prices are illustrative; use the prices you pay.
- Cold weather. Cold can lower efficiency. Compensate by entering the lower mi/kWh you see.
- Charging losses. They vary by equipment and conditions (DOE/EPA fueleconomy.gov, read October 15, 2026). Use a mi/kWh figure whose basis you know (wall-side includes losses; a battery-side trip display does not).
Want a longer trip planned with actual charging stops and times? Try the Road Trip Charging Stops Calculator alongside this one.
Frequently asked
How accurate is the estimate for a real trip?
It is only as accurate as the efficiency, electricity rate, MPG and gas price you enter. Real costs depend on temperature, speed, terrain and load, and no accuracy range has been measured for this tool. For a steady highway trip, enter the lower mi/kWh you expect at that speed.
What if I have to DC fast charge during the trip?
Blend the rates by energy share. As an illustration, if 80% of the energy costs $0.15/kWh and 20% costs $0.45/kWh, the effective rate is 0.8 × 0.15 + 0.2 × 0.45 = $0.21/kWh. Use your own shares and prices. Or use the DC Fast Charging Session Cost calculator for individual session pricing.
Does highway driving make EV trip cost higher?
It can. Higher speeds generally lower mi/kWh, so cost per mile rises in proportion. Enter the efficiency you expect at your speed. The Highway Speed Range Impact calculator gives a rough planning estimate.
How does the EV cost compare to a gas car for the same trip?
It depends on your prices and efficiencies, and either option can be cheaper. With the example inputs a 500-mile EV trip at $0.15/kWh costs about $21 and the same trip in a 28 MPG car at $3.50/gal costs about $63. At $0.60/kWh the EV trip costs about $86 against the same $63, so the EV costs more. The result panel says which is cheaper and by how much.
Does the calculator factor in cold weather?
Not automatically. Enter the lower efficiency you see in cold weather; a lower mi/kWh raises the trip cost in proportion.