Gas vs. Electric: The Real Cost of Driving in 2026

"Are electric cars actually cheaper to run?" is one of the most-asked questions in motoring, and the honest answer is: usually yes on fuel and maintenance, but it depends on how and where you charge, and how many miles you drive. Let's put real numbers on it.

Cost per mile: the heart of the comparison

The fairest way to compare is cost of energy per mile.

A petrol car doing 30 mpg, with gas at $3.50 a gallon, costs about 11.7 cents per mile in fuel.
An electric car doing 3.5 miles per kWh, charging at home for $0.16 per kWh, costs about 4.6 cents per mile.

On those typical numbers, the EV is roughly 60% cheaper per mile to fuel. Over 12,000 miles a year that's the difference between about $1,400 and $550 — an $850 annual saving on energy alone. You can run your own numbers in the EV savings calculator.

The catch: public fast charging changes the maths

That big saving assumes home charging, which is where EVs shine. Public DC fast charging is far more expensive — often two to four times the home rate. An EV driver who relies on fast chargers can end up paying close to what a petrol driver pays per mile.

So the real rule is:

An EV saves the most money when you can charge at home or at cheap overnight rates. If you'd depend on public fast charging for most miles, the fuel savings shrink dramatically.

We cover the details in EV charging costs explained.

Maintenance: a quieter, consistent win for EVs

EVs have no oil to change, no spark plugs, no exhaust system, no multi-speed transmission, and they use regenerative braking that spares the brake pads. That means fewer scheduled services and fewer things to fail. Most estimates put EV maintenance at meaningfully lower than a comparable petrol car over its life. It's not glamorous, but it's a real, recurring saving.

Where petrol still wins

Electric isn't automatically cheaper for everyone:

Higher purchase price. Many EVs still cost more up front, though incentives and a growing used market narrow the gap.
No home charging. Renters and city dwellers without a driveway lose the biggest saving.
Low annual mileage. If you drive very little, the per-mile fuel saving may never overcome the higher purchase price.
Long-haul, charge-on-the-road use. Constant fast charging erodes the advantage.

The break-even way to think about it

Two questions decide it for most people:

Can you charge at home or somewhere cheap overnight? If yes, the running-cost case for electric is strong.
Do you drive enough miles for fuel savings to matter? The more you drive, the faster an EV's lower per-mile cost pays back its higher sticker price.

If you answered yes to both, electric will very likely save you money over time. If you answered no to either, run the numbers carefully before switching — and compare specific models' running costs in our car fuel cost tool.

Bottom line

For a home-charging driver with average or above-average mileage, an EV is usually cheaper to run — often dramatically so on fuel, and quietly so on maintenance. For someone without home charging or with very low mileage, petrol can still be the cheaper overall choice. The technology has a clear edge; whether it's your edge comes down to your driveway and your odometer.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to run an electric car than a petrol car?

Usually yes, if you charge at home. Home charging can cost around 4–5 cents per mile versus roughly 10–13 cents for petrol, plus EVs have lower maintenance costs. The advantage shrinks if you rely on public fast charging.

How much can you save switching to an EV?

A home-charging driver doing 12,000 miles a year can save roughly $800–$1,000 a year on fuel alone versus a typical petrol car, before maintenance savings. Exact figures depend on electricity and petrol prices where you live.

When is a petrol car cheaper than electric?

When you can't charge at home, drive very few miles, or would rely mostly on expensive public fast charging. In those cases the petrol car's lower purchase price may never be overcome.