How the gas vs electric calculator works
The per-mile frame
Fuel comparisons get muddy in dollars-per-fill or dollars-per-charge; per-mile cuts through. Gas: price ÷ MPG. Electric: rate ÷ efficiency. At typical numbers, home-charged EVs run 4–6¢/mile vs 11–13¢/mile for a 28–30 MPG car — the EV is roughly half the fuel cost, before maintenance differences even enter.
Where the advantage shrinks
Three places: cheap gas, expensive electricity, and highway-heavy driving at high speed (EV efficiency falls faster than gas MPG on the freeway). And one place it flips entirely: public DC fast charging at 40–60¢/kWh costs more per mile than a 30 MPG car at $3.60 gas. EVs that road-trip weekly on fast chargers should compare honestly against hybrid MPG.
Maintenance is the quiet second win
No oil changes, fewer brake jobs (regenerative braking), no transmission service. Studies put maintenance savings at 3–5¢ per mile over the vehicle's life — nearly matching the fuel savings at average prices.