Use this calculator to compare the annual operational costs of an electric vehicle (EV) versus a traditional gasoline car, estimate your EV's range, and see potential CO2 savings.
Your Driving Habits
miles/year
Electric Vehicle (EV) Details
Wh/mile (e.g., Tesla Model 3 Long Range is ~250 Wh/mile)
$/kWh (average residential rate)
kWh (usable capacity)
Gasoline Car Details
miles/gallon
$/gallon
Calculation Results:
Annual EV Charging Cost:
Annual Gasoline Cost:
Annual Savings (EV vs. Gas):
Estimated EV Range:
Estimated Annual CO2 Saved:
Understanding Your EV Calculator Results
This calculator helps you visualize the financial and environmental impact of owning an electric vehicle compared to a gasoline-powered car. Here's a breakdown of the inputs and outputs:
Input Fields Explained:
Annual Miles Driven: This is the total distance you expect to drive in a year. It's a crucial factor for both cost and emissions calculations.
EV Efficiency (Wh/mile): This measures how much energy your EV uses to travel one mile. Lower numbers mean better efficiency. For example, 250 Wh/mile means the car uses 0.25 kWh to travel one mile. You can often find this in your car's specifications or by monitoring your driving.
Electricity Cost ($/kWh): This is the price you pay for electricity at home or at public charging stations. Rates vary significantly by location and time of day.
EV Battery Capacity (kWh): This is the total energy storage capacity of your EV's battery. A larger battery generally means a longer range. The calculator uses 90% of this capacity for practical range estimation, accounting for buffer and degradation.
Gas Car MPG (miles/gallon): This is the fuel efficiency of the gasoline car you are comparing against. Higher MPG means better fuel economy.
Gas Price ($/gallon): The current price you pay for a gallon of gasoline.
Output Fields Explained:
Annual EV Charging Cost: The estimated total cost to charge your EV for a year based on your driving habits and electricity rates.
Annual Gasoline Cost: The estimated total cost to fuel a gasoline car for a year based on your driving habits and gas prices.
Annual Savings (EV vs. Gas): The difference between the annual gasoline cost and the annual EV charging cost. A positive number indicates savings by choosing an EV.
Estimated EV Range: The approximate distance your EV can travel on a full charge, considering its battery capacity and efficiency. This is a practical range, assuming you don't fully deplete the battery.
Estimated Annual CO2 Saved: The amount of carbon dioxide emissions you would avoid annually by driving an EV instead of a gasoline car. This calculation assumes an average CO2 emission rate for gasoline combustion.
Example Scenario:
Let's say you drive 12,000 miles per year. Your potential EV has an efficiency of 250 Wh/mile and a 75 kWh battery. Your electricity costs $0.15/kWh. The gasoline car you're comparing against gets 30 MPG, and gas costs $3.50/gallon.
Annual EV Charging Cost: (12,000 miles * 0.25 kWh/mile) * $0.15/kWh = $450