The 2027 Chevy Bolt and the 2026 Nissan Leaf cost almost exactly the same to charge, so any comparison that spends its time on running costs is looking at the wrong gap. On the numbers we ran, the two cars land within $17 to $64 of each other over 60,000 miles in every state. What separates them is the sticker price, the range, and one expensive Leaf trim. The car that really sets the bar for both is a $24,420 gas Corolla.
The federal credit is gone (it expired September 30, 2025), so these are the two cheapest new EVs you can buy on merit. Here is what the math says about them, and about whether either one beats the cheapest gas car in your state.
The Cars at a Glance
Pricing and range are the easy part, and the efficiency gap between the two is smaller than most spec-sheet comparisons suggest. Chevrolet lists the 2027 Bolt LT from $28,995 including destination (the earlier launch-edition trim was $29,990). Nissan prices the 2026 Leaf S+ from $29,990 before destination, which is roughly $31,500 once the destination fee is added.
| Trim | Starting price | EPA range | MPGe | kWh / 100 mi | Home cost / mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevy Bolt LT (65 kWh) | $28,995 | 262 mi | 120 | 28.1 | 5.1¢ |
| Nissan Leaf S+ (75 kWh) | ~$31,535 | 303 mi | 121 | 27.9 | 5.0¢ |
| Nissan Leaf SV+ | ~$35,775 | 288 mi | 114 | 29.6 | 5.3¢ |
| Nissan Leaf Platinum+ | ~$40,535 | 259 mi | 103 | 32.7 | 5.9¢ |
Two honest caveats on that table. Neither car appeared in the fueleconomy.gov database when we checked, so the MPGe figures come from manufacturer and early dealer listings, not the EPA site. The kWh per 100 miles column is our own conversion (3,370 divided by MPGe, since EPA's MPGe already counts charging losses). Home cost per mile uses the same $0.18/kWh baseline our cost-per-mile calculator uses.
Charging Cost Is a Rounding Error
At 120 and 121 MPGe, the Bolt LT and Leaf S+ are the same car as far as your electric bill is concerned. At the national baseline, five years and 60,000 miles of home charging costs about $3,030 in the Bolt and $3,010 in the Leaf S+. Across all 51 jurisdictions in our state price table, the Leaf S+ comes out $17 to $64 cheaper to charge over five years, and you would need a spreadsheet to feel it.
The one place energy cost does separate them is the top of the Leaf range. The Platinum+ trim is rated at 103 MPGe, which costs roughly $525 more in electricity over five years than the S+ at national rates. It also costs about $9,000 more up front, and Nissan's spec page lists its range at 259 miles, three fewer than the cheaper Bolt. If you are cross-shopping the two, the Platinum+ is the trim that does not make sense.
The Gap That Matters Is the Sticker
With energy cost a tie, the decision between these two comes down to roughly $2,500 of sticker price against 41 miles of range. The Leaf S+ costs about $2,540 more than the Bolt LT and rates at 303 miles against the Bolt's 262. Whether that is worth paying depends on your longest regular trip without a plug, and it has nothing to do with what you pay per kWh.
Incentives can move that gap in either direction. As of early October, listings show Nissan advertising larger cash and loyalty offers on the Leaf than Chevrolet is on the Bolt, and both change monthly. Check the real out-the-door price in your ZIP code before treating the $2,540 as fixed. Our September incentive roundup covers the state programs that can stack on top.
The Real Competitor Is a $24,420 Corolla
Neither of these cars pays for itself against a basic gas compact in most of the country within the five years most people keep a first car. We ran fuel-only payback against a 2026 Corolla LE ($24,420, 35 MPG combined) and a Corolla Hybrid LE ($26,170, 50 MPG combined), using each state's gas and electricity prices from the table behind our EV vs gas calculator and 12,000 miles a year. Payback means the years of fuel savings needed to cover the EV's higher purchase price.
| Where you charge | Bolt vs Corolla LE | Bolt vs Corolla Hybrid | Leaf S+ vs Corolla LE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 3.2 yrs | 3.3 yrs | 5.0 yrs |
| Idaho | 3.8 yrs | 4.0 yrs | 5.9 yrs |
| Florida | 5.1 yrs | 5.9 yrs | 7.8 yrs |
| California | 5.1 yrs | 9.5 yrs | 7.8 yrs |
| Texas | 5.9 yrs | 7.5 yrs | 9.2 yrs |
| New York | 9.1 yrs | 50 yrs | 13.9 yrs |
| Massachusetts | 10.3 yrs | never (359 yrs) | 15.7 yrs |
| Hawaii | 15.2 yrs | never | 22.7 yrs |
| National baseline ($4.10 gas / $0.18 kWh) | 5.7 yrs | 7.5 yrs | 8.8 yrs |
The Bolt clears a five-year payback against the Corolla LE in 14 of the 51 jurisdictions we model, and against the Corolla Hybrid in only 9. The pattern follows the ratio of gas to electricity prices, not either price on its own. Washington and Idaho pair cheap hydro power with expensive gasoline and win big. New York and Massachusetts pair expensive power with ordinary gas prices, and a 50 MPG hybrid beats the EV on fuel outright.
The Leaf S+ only reaches a five-year payback against the Corolla LE in Washington, and nowhere else in our table. Its extra $2,540 of sticker buys range, not savings, because the energy bill is the same as the Bolt's.
This is fuel only. It leaves out maintenance, where EVs usually come out ahead (see our EV maintenance cost guide), and insurance and depreciation, where they usually do not. Depreciation in particular can flip a comparison that looks like an EV win, as it did in our Equinox EV vs CR-V math. For a hybrid-side view of the same trade, read when hybrids beat EVs on cost.
Want the payback in your state, with your own gas price and mileage? Open the calculator and enter your numbers.
Open the Free CalculatorWhat Breaks the Math: Not Charging at Home
All of the numbers above assume you charge at home, and the EV advantage mostly disappears if you do not. At a public fast charger priced around $0.40/kWh, the Bolt costs about 11.2¢ per mile, which is within half a cent of the Corolla LE's 11.7¢ at national gas prices. The Leaf Platinum+ at that price runs 13.1¢ a mile and costs more to fuel than the gas car. Apartment dwellers should read whether an EV works without home charging before putting either on a shortlist, and homeowners weighing a dedicated charger should see our Level 2 break-even math.
Which One to Buy
Buy the Bolt if you want the lowest price of entry, and the S+ Leaf only if 303 miles of range changes how you would actually use the car. Skip the upper Leaf trims for a cost-driven purchase. Either car makes financial sense against a Corolla only if you have home charging and live where electricity is cheap relative to gas, so run your own state's numbers first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Chevy Bolt or Nissan Leaf cheaper to charge?
They are effectively tied. At home-charging rates the Leaf S+ is $17 to $64 cheaper over five years, depending on the state. Only the top Leaf trims cost noticeably more to run.
Do the Bolt or Leaf qualify for the federal EV tax credit?
No. The federal Clean Vehicle credit ended September 30, 2025. State rebates and manufacturer incentives still apply and vary by location.
Is the Bolt or Leaf cheaper than a Corolla?
On fuel alone, the Bolt pays back its price premium over a Corolla LE in about 5.7 years at national prices, and faster in cheap-electricity states. Against a Corolla Hybrid it takes about 7.5 years. The Leaf S+ takes about 8.8 and 14 years against the same two cars.
Why does the Leaf Platinum+ cost more per mile?
Its rated efficiency is 103 MPGe against about 121 for the S+, which means it uses roughly 17% more electricity for every mile.
Sources and method. Prices and range: Chevrolet, Nissan press release and Nissan specs. Corolla pricing and 35/50 MPG: Edmunds and fueleconomy.gov. State electricity and gas prices come from our calculator's EIA- and AAA-based table; the national baseline is $4.10/gal and $0.18/kWh. Assumes 12,000 miles a year, home charging, and destination fees as reported (Nissan's is cited at $1,545 to $1,575). Prices as of October 3, 2026.