nrtechstudio.com · free tool
Electric Vehicle Fuel Savings Calculator
Compare the annual fuel cost of a gasoline car vs an electric vehicle — yearly cost of each, how much you save, 5-year savings, and how long it takes for fuel savings to pay back the EV's higher purchase price.
What this tool covers — and what it doesn't
- This tool: side-by-side fuel-cost comparison of one gas car vs one EV, plus a price-sensitivity table and optional purchase-price payback.
- EV Charging Cost Calculator: detailed EV charging math (home/public/workplace mix, charging losses, per-100-mi cost).
- Road Trip Cost Calculator: cost of a single trip (fuel + tolls + hotels + food).
- Honest scope: this calculator models fuel only. Depreciation, insurance, maintenance, battery replacement, taxes and incentives are not included.
Your numbers
Annual fuel comparison
What if prices move? (±20%)
Fuel savings per year under different gas and electricity prices — everything else held constant.
| Scenario | Gas cost/yr | EV cost/yr | Savings/yr |
|---|
Worked example
12,000 mi/year · 28 mpg · $3.50/gal · EV 3.5 mi/kWh · $0.16/kWh · $8,000 price premium:
- Gas: 12,000 ÷ 28 × $3.50 = –/yr
- EV: 12,000 ÷ 3.5 × $0.16 = –/yr
- Savings: –/yr → – over 5 years
- Payback: $8,000 ÷ annual savings ≈ – years
How it's calculated
- Gas annual cost = miles ÷ mpg × gas price
- EV annual cost = miles ÷ (mi/kWh) × electricity price
- Savings = gas cost − EV cost (negative means the EV costs more to fuel — shown honestly)
- Payback = price premium ÷ annual savings. If savings ≤ 0, the premium never pays back.
- Enter EV efficiency as grid-side (what the meter bills): wall kWh per mile already includes ~10–15% charging losses.
- Metric mode converts: km → mi (÷ 1.609344), L/100km → mpg (235.214583 ÷ L/100km), kWh/100km → mi/kWh (62.1371192 ÷ kWh/100km).
Related tools
- EV Charging Cost Calculator — home vs public charging mix, charging losses, per-trip EV cost.
- Road Trip Cost Calculator — full cost of one trip, gas/diesel/EV compared.
Frequently asked questions
What does this calculator compare?
The annual fuel cost of one gasoline car versus one electric vehicle. Enter how far you drive per year, the gas car's fuel economy and gas price, plus the EV's efficiency and your electricity price. You get the yearly cost of each, your fuel savings per year and over 5 years, and how long the savings take to pay back the EV's higher purchase price (optional).
Does it include the purchase price, depreciation, or insurance?
No — this tool models fuel only. The one exception is the optional EV price premium field, used solely to compute the payback period. Depreciation, insurance, maintenance, battery replacement, taxes, and incentives are not included, so treat the result as a fuel comparison, not a total cost of ownership.
What efficiency number should I enter for the EV?
Enter the grid-side efficiency — the kWh your electricity meter (and bill) sees per mile, which already includes roughly 10-15% charging losses. EPA ratings (e.g. on fueleconomy.gov) are measured at the wall, so they already include those losses and are a good starting point.
What if electricity is expensive where I live?
The calculator is honest about that: if the EV costs more to fuel than the gas car, it says so plainly ('No savings here') and the payback period shows 'Never'. Try the price-sensitivity table to see how ±20% price moves change the answer.
How is the payback period calculated?
Payback (years) = EV price premium ÷ annual fuel savings. If annual savings are zero or negative, the premium can never be recovered from fuel savings, and the tool shows 'Never'.
Can I use metric units?
Yes — switch to Metric mode for km per year, L/100km, and kWh/100km. Conversions use exact factors: km ÷ 1.609344 = miles, 235.214583 ÷ L/100km = mpg, and 62.1371192 ÷ kWh/100km = miles per kWh.
Does home vs public charging matter?
Yes, a lot — public fast charging can cost 2-3x home rates. Enter the blended price you actually pay per kWh. For a detailed home/public/workplace mix, see our EV Charging Cost Calculator.
Why isn't maintenance included? EVs need less maintenance, right?
Generally yes, but maintenance varies too much by model and driving to model honestly in a fuel calculator. Including a generic guess would make the savings look more precise than they are. This tool stays in its lane: fuel.
How is this different from the EV Charging Cost Calculator?
That tool computes what charging an EV costs in detail (charging mix, losses, per-trip cost). This tool compares one gas car against one EV side by side on annual fuel cost, adds a price-sensitivity table, and computes the payback of the EV's purchase premium.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. Every calculation runs locally in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing is uploaded, stored, or tracked.
Free tool by NRTechStudio