Honest EV math
Will an EV actually save you money?
Six free calculators for tax credits, total cost vs gas, charging cost, real-world range, and time-to-charge — plus brand-by-brand guides for every EV on sale.
No signups. No email capture. No telemetry beyond Google Analytics.
Calculators
Six tools for the questions every EV buyer asks
EV Tax Credit Calculator
Federal $7,500 + state credits. Check income limits, MSRP caps, and battery-sourcing rules for your model.
EV vs Gas TCO Calculator
5/7/10-year total cost: fuel/electricity, maintenance, insurance, depreciation, credits. See real break-even.
EV Charging Cost Calculator
Per-mile cost at home (L1/L2) vs public DC fast charging, by state electricity rate.
EV Range Estimator
Real-world range with temperature, terrain, speed, AC, and payload adjustments. EPA range vs reality.
Time to Charge Calculator
Battery kWh + charger kW + start/end state of charge → minutes to full (or any target SoC).
Home Charger ROI Calculator
Level 2 home charger install cost vs public DC fast cost over time. Payback period and break-even.
Why EVMath
Most EV cost claims compare best-case electricity to worst-case gas
EVMath runs the numbers honestly: actual federal and state credit eligibility for your model, your local electricity rate, real-world range with temperature and AC adjustments, and total cost of ownership including depreciation and insurance.
No signups, no email capture, no telemetry beyond Google Analytics — just the math.
Why EV math is non-obvious
An EV purchase has more moving parts than a gas one
With gasoline, you pay a posted price per gallon and your mileage is roughly fixed. With electricity, your rate per kilowatt-hour varies by time of day, by season, and by where you plug in — home overnight, work parking lot, public DC fast charger on a road trip. Efficiency itself swings by 30% with temperature alone. The same Tesla Model Y that does 4.0 miles per kWh in May does barely 2.7 at 10°F in February with the heat on.
The federal tax credit landscape also changed dramatically in 2025. The Inflation Reduction Act's $7,500 Clean Vehicle Credit was terminated for new EVs acquired after September 30, 2025, along with the used-EV credit and the lease 'loophole'. State rebates in Colorado, New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Oregon are still running independently and can stack, but the rules vary by state, by model, by income bracket, and by whether you buy or lease. The EV Tax Credit Calculator walks through which credits still apply for your model and state in 2026.
Real-world range is where buyers get burned most often. EPA range numbers are run at moderate temperatures, modest highway speeds, and with no roof rack. Cold weather alone takes 20–35% off; sustained 75+ mph driving takes another 10–15%; the cabin heater (with no waste engine heat to recycle) pulls another 5–10% in winter. A truck-style EV like the F-150 Lightning towing a 6,000-lb trailer can lose half its range. The Range Estimator and Time to Charge calculators model these adjustments instead of pretending they don't exist.
Total cost of ownership is where the picture turns in the EV's favor. Once you account for cheaper home charging, lower maintenance (no oil changes, regenerative braking that extends pad life), and remaining incentives, many EVs cross over with comparable gas vehicles at three to five years. Some — particularly the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Chevy Equinox EV — break even almost immediately in states where rebates stack with low electricity rates. Others, especially luxury EVs with steep depreciation, never quite get there. The EV vs Gas TCO Calculator runs the full break-even for your specific candidate vehicles, mileage, and state.
EV Brand Guides
Every EV on sale, by brand
Models, prices, range, charging speed, and credit status — for every major automaker selling EVs in the US.
EV Roundups
Cross-cut shopping guides
Longest range, under $40k, best for towing, fastest-charging, 3-row family SUVs, and electric trucks.
FAQ
Frequently asked EV questions
How much does it actually cost to charge an EV?
It depends almost entirely on where you charge. At a typical US residential rate of $0.16 per kWh, filling a 75 kWh battery at home costs about $12 — enough for roughly 250–290 miles. Public DC fast chargers run $0.40–$0.60 per kWh, so the same fill-up costs $30–$45. Tesla Supercharger pricing sits in the middle and varies by time of day. The EV Charging Cost Calculator works out your per-mile cost using your state's actual residential and DC fast-charging rates.
Is the $7,500 federal EV tax credit still available in 2026?
No — not for new vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025. The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed July 4, 2025, ended the Clean Vehicle Credit (§30D), the Used Clean Vehicle Credit (§25E), and the Commercial (lease) Clean Vehicle Credit (§45W) on that date. Buyers who signed a binding contract and made a payment before Sept 30, 2025 can still claim the credit on their 2025 or 2026 return, but no new acquisitions qualify. State rebates in Colorado, New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, and others are unaffected and remain stackable.
How long does it actually take to charge an electric car?
Level 1 (a standard 120V household outlet) adds 3–5 miles of range per hour — fine as a slow top-up but 40+ hours to fill a long-range EV. Level 2 (240V home charger) fills most EVs overnight in 8–10 hours. DC fast charging adds 100–200 miles in 20–30 minutes on a modern 250 kW+ charger, but charging slows sharply above an 80% state of charge. The Time to Charge Calculator factors in your specific battery size, charger speed, and target SoC.
How accurate is the EPA-estimated range?
Real-world range typically lands 10–25% below the EPA sticker, and the gap widens fast in cold weather, at highway speeds above 70 mph, with the cabin heater running, or with a roof box. Tesla and Lucid historically come closest to their EPA numbers; the Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E fall further short, especially in winter. Towing can cut range in half. The Range Estimator adjusts for temperature, terrain, speed, AC use, payload, and towing instead of pretending those don't matter.
Is an EV actually cheaper than a gas car over time?
Usually yes over five to seven years, but not always and rarely immediately. Fuel-versus-electricity savings run $3,500–$7,500 across five years for an average driver. Maintenance is roughly $1,500–$3,000 lower — no oil changes, fewer brake jobs thanks to regenerative braking, no spark plugs or transmission fluid. Insurance and tire costs tend to run higher. Depreciation varies wildly by model. The EV vs Gas TCO Calculator runs the full math for your specific candidate vehicles, mileage, and state.
Is a Level 2 home charger worth installing?
Almost always yes if you own your home, drive more than 8,000 miles a year, and pay $0.10 per kWh or more for electricity. A typical Level 2 install runs $1,200–$2,500 including the charger and electrician. Payback versus relying on public DC fast charging is usually 18–36 months; after that, every mile is $0.20–$0.40 cheaper than fast-charging in public. The Home Charger ROI Calculator works out the break-even for your specific install cost, driving pattern, and local electricity rate.
Chinese EVs Explained
BYD passed Tesla. What happens when Chinese EVs hit the US?
Why Chinese EVs aren't (yet) sold in the US — and what changes when they are.
