EV vs. ICE Total Cost Calculator: Fuel, Maintenance & Breakeven
The fuel-cost advantage of electric vehicles is well known, but the full ownership picture adds two more pieces: EVs cost less to maintain, and they often carry a higher upfront price. This calculator puts all three together — annual fuel savings, annual maintenance savings, and the EV price premium — to show your total annual savings, how many years it takes to pay back the premium (the breakeven point), and your net savings over the full ownership period. It assumes home charging; for the per-charge and per-mile home-charging breakdown, see the Cost to Charge an EV at Home Calculator, and for a state-by-state monthly fuel comparison see the EV Charging Cost Calculator.
Total miles you drive in a typical year.
Typical modern EVs run 25-35 kWh/100mi depending on model.
U.S. residential average is approximately 17-18 cents/kWh (EIA, 2026).
Your gas car's combined fuel economy in miles per gallon.
Local price per gallon of gasoline.
Typical annual maintenance for an EV (tires, cabin filter, brake fluid).
Typical annual maintenance for a comparable gas car (oil changes, belts, brakes).
The extra upfront cost of the EV compared to a similar gas-powered model, if any.
How long you plan to keep the vehicle.
annual miles × (EV efficiency ÷ 100) × electricity price
(annual miles ÷ ICE mpg) × gasoline price
annual ICE fuel cost − annual EV electricity cost
annual ICE maintenance − annual EV maintenance
annual fuel savings + annual maintenance savings
Fast payback — typical for drivers with high mileage or cheap electricity
Positive net savings over the ownership period — (total annual savings × 5.0 years) − EV price premium
Results update live as you type. For planning and field-check estimates — always verify against applicable standards and equipment ratings.
How we calculate this →At today's prices, switching from a 25-mpg gas car to a comparable EV saves roughly $1,476 a year in combined fuel and maintenance costs -- enough to pay back a typical $3,000 EV price premium in about 2 years. After that, every year of ownership is pure savings. Note that public and DC fast charging typically cost significantly more than home charging (often $0.39-0.50/kWh vs. roughly $0.17/kWh at home), so drivers who rely mainly on public charging will see smaller savings than this home-charging-based estimate.
How EV vs. ICE total cost is calculated
This calculator compares the ongoing running costs of an electric vehicle against a comparable internal-combustion-engine (ICE) car, then weighs those savings against the EV's higher upfront price. Seven quantities tie the calculation together.
Annual EV Electricity Cost ($) = Annual Miles Driven × (EV Efficiency (kWh/100mi) ÷ 100) × Home Electricity Price ($/kWh). At 12,000 mi/yr, 30 kWh/100mi, and $0.17/kWh, that is 12,000 × 0.30 × 0.17 = $612/yr. Annual ICE Fuel Cost ($) = (Annual Miles Driven ÷ ICE Fuel Economy (mpg)) × Gasoline Price ($/gallon). At 12,000 mi/yr, 25 mpg, and $3.10/gal, that is (12,000 ÷ 25) × 3.10 = $1,488/yr.
Annual Fuel Cost Savings ($) = Annual ICE Fuel Cost − Annual EV Electricity Cost — $876 at the defaults. Annual Maintenance Savings ($) = Annual ICE Maintenance Cost − Annual EV Maintenance Cost — $600 at the defaults, reflecting the lower maintenance burden of EVs (no oil changes, fewer moving parts, regenerative braking). Total Annual Savings ($) = Annual Fuel Cost Savings + Annual Maintenance Savings — $1,476 at the defaults.
Breakeven Point (years) = EV Price Premium ($) ÷ Total Annual Savings ($/yr). At a $3,000 premium and $1,476/yr savings, that is about 2.03 years — the point at which cumulative fuel and maintenance savings have repaid the extra upfront cost. Net Savings Over Ownership Period ($) = (Total Annual Savings × Years of Ownership) − EV Price Premium. Over 5 years, that is ($1,476 × 5) − $3,000 = $4,380.
Two important caveats. First, this calculator assumes home charging at your residential electricity rate; public and DC fast charging typically cost $0.39-0.50/kWh versus roughly $0.17/kWh at home, so drivers who rely mainly on public charging will see meaningfully smaller fuel savings. Second, the model excludes one-time costs like home charger installation (typically a few hundred to a few thousand dollars) and any available tax credits or incentives, which would shorten the breakeven point further. Data sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) residential electricity prices, 2026; U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) EV efficiency and maintenance cost studies; Consumer Reports vehicle maintenance cost analysis; EIA gasoline price tracking.