EV vs Gas Cost Per Mile 2026: 4¢ vs 12¢ by State

In 2026, driving an EV costs approximately 4 cents per mile at home charging rates. At the national average of $0.155/kWh and 3.8 miles per kWh efficiency, that's $0.041/mile. Efficient models: Chevy Bolt (4.1 mi/kWh) at 3.8¢/mi; Tesla Model 3 (3.8 mi/kWh) at 4.1¢/mi.

The range across states: 2.8¢/mile in Washington ($0.102/kWh) to 10.8¢/mile in Hawaii ($0.443/kWh). Public DC fast charging at $0.45/kWh raises the per-mile cost to about 11.8¢ — roughly equal to a gas car. Home charging is the key to the EV cost advantage.

Yes, by a wide margin. At 2026 national averages, an EV costs about 4¢ per mile at home vs. 11–14¢ per mile for a typical gas car — 60–70% less per mile. At 12,000 miles/year, that's $840 saved annually on fuel alone before counting lower EV maintenance costs.

The only exception: EV drivers who charge exclusively at DC fast chargers ($0.45/kWh) pay about 11.8¢/mile — similar to a 28 MPG gas car. For anyone with home or workplace charging, EVs win on per-mile cost in every state.

The 2026 national average EV cost per mile is ~4.1 cents for home charging, based on EIA's average residential electricity rate of $0.155/kWh and EPA average fleet efficiency of 3.8 mi/kWh. By model: Bolt EV — 3.8¢/mi; Ioniq 6 — 3.9¢/mi; Model 3 RWD — 4.1¢/mi; Equinox EV — 4.2¢/mi; Mach-E — 4.7¢/mi.

Compare to the 2026 average gas car: 28 MPG at $3.20/gallon = 11.4¢/mile. That's a 7.3¢/mile advantage for EVs, adding up to $876/year at 12,000 miles. Use the calculator above to see your state-specific numbers.

At national average rates (electricity $0.155/kWh, gas $3.20/gallon): Tesla Model 3 RWD costs 4.1 cents per mile. Toyota Camry at 32 MPG costs 10.0 cents per mile. The Model 3 costs 59% less per mile to fuel.

At 15,000 miles/year, that's $881 saved annually in fuel alone. Add in maintenance savings (no oil changes, longer brake life), and the Model 3 saves closer to $1,200/year in running costs versus the Camry.

Chevy Equinox EV gets about 3.7 miles per kWh. At the national average rate of $0.155/kWh, that's 4.2 cents per mile. The gas Equinox at 28 MPG and $3.20/gallon costs 11.4 cents per mile — 172% more.

The Equinox EV vs Equinox gas is one of the clearest apples-to-apples comparisons available. Same form factor, similar starting price ($29,995 for EV after tax credit vs $30,000 for base gas). The EV wins on per-mile cost by a wide margin in every state except Hawaii.

At national averages, EVs cost about 60–70% less per mile for fuel. Home charging at $0.155/kWh runs 4.1 cents/mile (Model 3). A 28 MPG gas car at $3.20/gallon costs 11.4 cents/mile. Savings: $0.07 per mile, or $840/year at 12,000 miles.

The gap narrows when gas prices fall and electricity rates rise. At $2.50/gallon gas and $0.25/kWh electricity (California), the advantage is smaller — still real, but about 40% less per mile rather than 65%. Run the calculator above with your state to see your exact numbers.

The numbers on this page cover fuel only. Maintenance adds to the comparison. Gas cars average $1,200–$1,500/year in maintenance (oil changes, transmission service, spark plugs, timing belts). At 12,000 miles/year, that's 10–12 cents/mile more.

EVs average $400–$900/year in maintenance (tires, cabin air filter, brake fluid). At 12,000 miles/year, that's 3–7 cents/mile. Adding maintenance to fuel: gas cars run 21–28 cents/mile all-in vs 7–11 cents/mile for EVs charging at home. The maintenance gap alone pays for itself on most EVs within 3 years.

Washington state: 10.2¢/kWh electricity puts EV home charging at 2.7 cents/mile (3.8 mi/kWh). Idaho (10.8¢/kWh) and Wyoming (10.8¢/kWh) are close. Washington also has high gas prices ($4.05/gallon), so the per-mile gap between EV and gas is one of the largest in the country.

Hawaii is the most expensive for EVs at 44.3¢/kWh — 11.7 cents/mile, which barely beats a gas car at $4.62/gallon. Even so, EVs still win in Hawaii. The table above shows every state ranked by EV cost per mile.

AAA puts the national average at $3.20/gallon as of early 2026, down from $3.50 in 2024. For a 28 MPG car, that's 11.4 cents/mile — vs 14.5 cents/mile at $4.05/gallon. Lower gas prices shrink the EV's per-mile advantage somewhat but don't eliminate it. Even at $2.50/gallon, a 28 MPG gas car costs 8.9 cents/mile vs 4 cents/mile for a typical EV at home.

The Kia EV6 Standard Range gets about 4.0 miles per kWh. At the national average of $0.155/kWh, that's 3.9 cents per mile. The gas Kia Sportage at 28 MPG and $3.20/gallon costs 11.4 cents per mile — 193% more.

The EV6 is one of the most efficient mid-size EVs on the market. At 15,000 miles/year, you're saving roughly $1,125 annually on fuel alone versus a comparable gas crossover. The EV6 starts around $42,600 before the $7,500 federal tax credit, making its effective price competitive with gas alternatives once incentives are applied.

Cold weather reduces EV efficiency by 15–25% below 40°F, and up to 35–40% below 20°F. A Model 3 that normally costs 4.1¢/mile at 3.8 mi/kWh drops to 2.9–3.2 mi/kWh in Minnesota in January — pushing cost per mile to 4.8–5.3¢.

Gas cars also lose efficiency in cold weather (5–15%), but the EV's penalty is larger. For annual averages, the winter efficiency hit matters less than it seems: if you drive 40% of your miles in winter, the annual average efficiency falls only 6–10%. The EV still wins on per-mile cost in every state, even accounting for cold-weather penalties.

The Prius (57 MPG combined) costs 5.6¢/mile at $3.20/gallon — the closest any gas car gets to EV per-mile costs. Still 40% more per mile than a typical EV charging at home at $0.155/kWh (4.1¢/mile). The gap narrows significantly in California, where electricity runs 30¢/kWh, putting the Prius at 5.6¢/mile vs the EV at 7.9¢/mile.

Where the Prius actually wins: apartment dwellers who charge exclusively at DC fast chargers. At 45¢/kWh, the EV costs 11.8¢/mile — more expensive than the Prius. Hybrids also avoid the cold-weather efficiency penalty. For drivers without home charging, a Prius often beats an EV on per-mile economics.

Rivian R1T Standard gets about 2.3 miles per kWh (EPA rated, real-world varies with payload and speed). At $0.155/kWh: 6.7¢/mile. A gas F-150 XLT at 19 MPG and $3.20/gallon: 16.8¢/mile. The Rivian costs 60% less per mile to fuel.

Truck owners see some of the biggest absolute savings from electrification. At 15,000 miles/year, the Rivian saves roughly $1,515 annually on fuel vs the gas F-150. The savings grow further if the truck hauls light loads — heavy towing drops the Rivian's efficiency to around 1.5 mi/kWh, pushing per-mile costs above gas.