Ownership-cost scenarios

Electric Vehicle vs Gas Car Cost Calculator

Compare equal five- and ten-year periods using your local energy prices and explicit financing, incentive and resale assumptions.

Driving and local energy

Use electricity drawn from the wall, including charging losses. Enter a blended home/public-charging price if relevant. Both vehicles drive the same annual miles. Energy prices and yearly operating costs stay constant in this scenario.

Electric vehicle

Gas vehicle

Purchase prices include taxes and fees. Set down payment equal to price for a cash purchase. Enter incentives only if confirmed and not already deducted from price. They reduce ownership cost once, assumed received at purchase, but do not reduce the modeled loan principal. Charger cost is paid upfront and has no resale credit.

Depreciation is your annual percentage assumption, compounded from the entered all-in price. For example, 15% per year retains 85% of the previous year's value each year; it is not a market forecast. The same rate extends through ten years.

Incentives default to zero. As reviewed October 6, 2026, federal clean-vehicle credits are unavailable for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025. Other programs require separate eligibility checks. IRS clean vehicle guidance.

Inputs remain in your browser. Example values are hypothetical, not current offers or local price data.

Calculation method and limits

EV annual electricity cost = annual miles × wall kWh/100 miles / 100 × electricity price. Gas annual fuel cost = annual miles / MPG × gasoline price. Resale value = purchase price × (1 - depreciation / 100)years.

Net ownership cost = purchase price - resale + loan interest paid so far - entered incentive + charging equipment + energy + maintenance + insurance. Equivalently, cash paid minus equity gives the same cost; equity is resale minus remaining loan balance. Principal payments are not added on top of purchase depreciation.

Fixed monthly loans round payments and monthly interest to cents; the last payment clears the remaining balance. Annual energy costs round to cents, then operating costs accrue proportionally each month. No interest accrues after payoff.

Break-even is the earliest month from 1 to 120 when EV net ownership cost is no higher than gas cost and stays no higher through month 120. Earlier temporary crossings do not count. It is not an upfront-price payback calculation or a promise of future savings.

No inflation, discount rate, opportunity cost, unentered repairs, annual registration, battery replacement or charging-equipment resale is modeled. Loan rates, resale, insurance, maintenance and incentives must reflect your situation. Results are scenarios, not predictions or personalized financial advice.

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