Why the ev vs gas total cost calculator matters
EV savings are real on fuel and maintenance but are frequently wiped out by depreciation and insurance, so the comparison only works at total cost per mile. This page turns that decision into a handful of inputs you can defend in a budget review: volume, unit cost, rate of adoption, and time. The output is a planning baseline, not a promise — it tells you whether the idea deserves a vendor quote, a pilot, or a pass.
- • Biggest swing factor: annual mileage, which is what converts a per-mile saving into real money
- • Second-order factor: home charging price versus public rapid charging
- • Often ignored: insurance and depreciation, which often favour the petrol car
What actually changes the answer
annual mileage, which is what converts a per-mile saving into real money moves this number first, then home charging price versus public rapid charging. Run a conservative case and an upside case before you commit. If the maths only works in the upside case, treat it as a time-boxed test with a kill date rather than a line in next year's plan.
What to do with the result
If you cannot charge at home, rerun with public rapid charging prices — the saving usually shrinks to near zero.
Related guides
Long-form playbooks on the same topic, written by the RevenueLab editorial team.
FAQ
What does the ev vs gas total cost calculator work out?
It applies Cost per mile = (fixed costs ÷ miles) + variable cost per mile; Margin = rate per mile − cost per mile to the values you enter for annual miles driven, annual fixed costs ($), energy and maintenance cost per mile ($), cost per mile of the car you are replacing ($). EV savings are real on fuel and maintenance but are frequently wiped out by depreciation and insurance, so the comparison only works at total cost per mile.
How accurate is this ev vs gas total cost calculator?
A total-cost-per-mile model from your inputs. Battery replacement risk and resale uncertainty are not priced in. Replace the defaults with your own invoice, usage export, payroll data, statement, or vendor quote before making a commitment — the maths is exact, so the answer is only as good as the inputs you feed it.
Which input should I stress-test first?
annual mileage, which is what converts a per-mile saving into real money. Re-run with a pessimistic value for it; if the decision flips, that assumption is the thing you need real data on before signing anything. After that, check home charging price versus public rapid charging and insurance and depreciation, which often favour the petrol car.
Which scenario should I start from?
Start with the preset closest to your situation — low mileage, typical year, high mileage — then edit the sliders. Presets are realistic starting points, not benchmarks to match, and every change updates the result instantly.
What should I do after running the numbers?
If you cannot charge at home, rerun with public rapid charging prices — the saving usually shrinks to near zero. A useful planning benchmark to compare against: EV energy costs typically run 4–7 cents a mile at home rates; petrol cars run 12–18 cents on fuel alone.
Can I share or save this calculation?
Yes. Your inputs are written into the page URL, so copying the link shares the exact scenario you are looking at — the person who opens it sees the same numbers. You can also export the inputs and results to CSV or PDF from the result card and keep it with the rest of your workings.
How this calculator is built
Independently maintained
Written by Sam Doshi and the RevenueLab editorial team. We don't sell the data feeds this tool is built on.
Sourced from primary data
Benchmarks come from public AdSense / Stripe / IRS disclosures and reader-submitted data — never third-party "$X per view" claims. Full methodology.
Last editorial review
Reviewed on a rolling quarterly cycle. Dated reviews are published on the methodology record for each calculator.
Editorial standards
See our editorial policy and disclaimer. Results are estimates, not advice.