EV math: $1,800 saved

A tank of gas can vanish in 400 miles, but the bill for the same trip in an electric vehicle is often closer to the price of a few fast-food meals. Autoblog, citing new analysis from Coltura, says a typical United States driver could save about $1,805 a year by switching from gasoline to electric at current prices. (autoblog.com) That estimate uses 15,000 miles a year, and Coltura says the savings rise with mileage. A driver covering 25,000 miles a year would save about $3,008 under the same assumptions, which is why delivery workers and long-distance commuters feel fuel prices first. (autoblog.com) The basic math is per-mile math. Coltura’s latest quarterly report says electric vehicle drivers saved an average of 8.3 cents per mile on fuel and maintenance versus gasoline cars in the fourth quarter of 2025, with fuel alone accounting for 5.3 cents per mile. (coltura.org) Those numbers move because gasoline and electricity do not move together. Coltura says its state-by-state model uses GasBuddy gasoline prices and United States Energy Information Administration electricity rates, and it assumes charging is 80% at home and 20% at public chargers. (coltura.org) How much you actually drive is the other half of the story. The AAA Foundation’s 2024 American Driving Survey found drivers averaged 31.1 miles a day, which works out to roughly 11,352 miles a year, so a lot of households would land below the 15,000-mile example and save less than the headline number. (aaafoundation.org) The savings also depend on what you are replacing. The Environmental Protection Agency says its Automotive Trends Report tracks fuel economy for new light-duty vehicles, and a thirsty pickup burns through far more dollars per mile than an efficient compact sedan before you even compare it with an electric model. (epa.gov) Vehicle-by-vehicle comparisons show how wide that spread can get. The Zero Emission Transportation Association’s calculator says a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range costs about 4 cents a mile to power versus about 9 cents a mile for a Honda Civic sedan, while a Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup can save about $1,795.95 a year compared with a gasoline Silverado at 14,000 miles. (zeta.org) Charging habits can shrink or expand the gap. The same Zero Emission Transportation Association calculator says its national and state estimates are based on at-home charging, so drivers who rely heavily on pricier public fast chargers will usually save less than drivers who plug in overnight at residential rates. (zeta.org) Maintenance is where electric vehicles quietly add another edge. Coltura’s fourth-quarter 2025 report says the average combined savings from fuel and maintenance reached 8.3 cents a mile, because electric vehicles skip oil changes and have fewer moving parts that wear out in normal driving. (coltura.org) The headline number is real, but it is not a universal coupon. If you drive a lot, charge mostly at home, and are replacing a less-efficient gasoline vehicle, the annual savings can be large; if you drive less, use public charging often, or already own a high-mileage gasoline car, the gap gets much smaller. (autoblog.com)