EV vs gas car comparisons.
Real 5-year total cost of ownership math on the matchups buyers actually cross-shop. Purchase price, fuel, maintenance, insurance, depreciation — all the numbers, no manufacturer talking points.
Pick the comparison that matches the kind of vehicle you're shopping for. Each post runs the same TCO methodology so you can compare apples to apples across categories. If you want to plug in your own electricity rate, gas price, and annual mileage, the EV vs Gas calculator runs the same model interactively.
Mid-size sedan matchup.
The Tesla Model 3 versus America's best-selling sedan, the Toyota Camry. Roughly $9,500 sticker-price gap, no federal tax credit, average mileage. Does the Tesla's fuel and maintenance edge close the gap over five years?
Mid-size crossover matchup.
Tesla Model Y versus the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid — the best-selling EV in America against the best-selling crossover. The hybrid is the wildcard: a 40+ MPG Toyota changes the EV-vs-gas math significantly.
Full-size pickup matchup.
Same nameplate, same shape, completely different powertrain. The F-150 Lightning vs the gas F-150 is the cleanest apples-to-apples truck comparison on the market — and trucks burn enough gas that the math looks different than it does for a sedan.
Energy-cost comparison.
Before you compare specific cars, it helps to understand the underlying per-mile economics: home charging vs DC fast charging vs filling up at the pump. The 80/20 home-vs-public charging pattern is what makes the EV math work — or not.
Want to see the comparison with your own mileage, gas price, and electricity rate?
Open the Free Calculator