Gas vs EV cost per mile in 2026
About 13.5 cents a mile in gas against 5.9 in electricity. That is a 26 mpg car at $3.50 gas and a typical EV charged mostly at home. Count insurance and maintenance and the EV saves about 5 cents a mile, $620 a year at 12,000 miles. Charge only at public fast chargers and the gap nearly closes.
Three numbers decide it
1. Where you chargeHome power at 15.1 cents a kWh is 4.2 cents a mile. A public fast charger at 45 cents is 12.6, three times as much for the same miles.
2. Gas price and MPGA 26 mpg car is 11.5 cents a mile at $3.00 gas, 13.5 at $3.50, 15.4 at $4.00. A 35 mpg car is a quarter less.
3. The lines people forgetEV insurance runs about 20% higher, 3.3 cents a mile on a $2,000 policy. Maintenance is 1 cent a mile less. Some states add an EV fee of $100 to $250 a year, up to 2 cents a mile.
Fuel alone, cents per mile
| Gas, 26 mpg | $3.00 gas | $3.50 gas | $4.00 gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cents a mile | 11.5 | 13.5 | 15.4 |
| EV, 28 kWh per 100 miles | All home | 80% home | All public |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cents a mile | 4.2 | 5.9 | 12.6 |
Home power 15.1 cents a kWh, public 45. The 26 mpg car and the 28 kWh EV are Charge up's default pair; the EPA supplies the real figures once you pick a model.
Everything counted, at $3.50 gas and 12,000 miles
| Cents per mile | Gas car | EV | EV saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel | 13.5 | 5.9 | 7.6 |
| Maintenance | 11.0 | 10.1 | 0.9 |
| Insurance | 16.7 | 20.0 | −3.3 |
| Total | 41.2 | 36.0 | 5.2 |
5.2 cents a mile is $623 a year. At $3.00 gas it is $392; at $4.00, $854. Maintenance from AAA's September 2025 averages, insurance +20% on a $2,000 policy, no state fee. Purchase price, depreciation and resale are not in this table; Charge up is a running-cost tool.
When the EV loses
- You charge only at public fast chargers. Then the gas car wins until gas passes $3.89. Home or workplace charging is the whole case.
- Your state charges an EV fee. $200 a year cuts the saving from 5.2 cents a mile to 3.5.
- You drive little. The insurance gap is a fixed $400 a year. At 6,000 miles the EV saves about $110, not $620.
- The EV costs more to buy. None of this counts the sticker. A $5,000 premium takes 8 years to earn back at $620 a year.
Questions people ask
What does a mile cost in gas versus electricity in 2026?
About 13.5 cents in gas against 5.9 cents in electricity. That is a 26 mpg car at $3.50 gas, and a typical EV using 28 kWh per 100 miles. The EV is charged 80% at home at 15.1 cents a kWh and 20% at public chargers at 45. Charged only at home the EV costs 4.2 cents a mile; only at public fast chargers, 12.6.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home per mile?
About 4 cents a mile: 28 kWh per 100 miles at 15.1 cents a kWh. At 12,000 miles that is about $510 a year in electricity, against about $1,600 in gas for a 26 mpg car at $3.50.
Is public fast charging more expensive than gas?
Close to it. At 45 cents a kWh a typical EV costs 12.6 cents a mile, against 13.5 for a 26 mpg car at $3.50 gas. Count the EV's higher insurance and the gas car wins until gas passes about $3.89. Home charging is what makes an EV cheap to run.
Do EVs cost more to insure?
Yes. Insurify's 2026 report found EVs cost 18% more to insure than gas cars for 2024-or-newer models and 42% more across all model years. Charge up assumes 20%, about $400 a year on a $2,000 policy, which is 3.3 cents a mile at 12,000 miles.
Every default and its source: Methods.