EV Charging · Published 2026-08-02
EV Charging vs Gas: The Real Cost-per-Mile Math
Home charging beats gas almost everywhere — usually by 50–70%. The formula, the exceptions, and the one rate trick that widens the gap.
The cost-per-mile formula is simple enough for a napkin. An efficient EV uses about 0.28 kWh per mile; a 30-MPG gas car uses 1/30 gallon. So at 13¢/kWh and $3.20/gal: the EV costs about 3.6¢/mile, the gas car 10.7¢ — a two-thirds discount for driving on electrons.
Where the gap widens and narrows
- Widest: cheap-power states — the Gulf South, the Northwest, the Plains — where home charging can run under 3¢/mile.
- Narrower: high-rate states like California and New England — though gas is expensive there too, so the EV usually still wins.
- The exception that matters: relying on DC fast charging. Public fast-charging often costs 40–60¢/kWh, which can approach gas parity. The savings live at home.
The rate trick: charge overnight
Many utilities offer time-of-use or EV-specific rates that price overnight power at a steep discount — sometimes half the standard rate. An EV that charges from midnight to 6am is the perfect customer for these plans, and enrolling is often the single biggest lever on cost per mile. Pair it with a Level 2 home charger (installed costs by state) and the per-mile math gets almost unfair.
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