Analysis.

One driver, one market, one head-to-head vehicle comparison. Each case study names the person, states their annual mileage, applies their local utility rates and gas prices, and walks through the 5-year math line by line. When the analysis produces a gas-wins verdict, that's what we publish. When it produces a coin-flip result, we say that too. Eighteen studies live so far, spanning nine EV wins, four gas wins, three hybrid wins, and two ties — variety in outcomes that no honest analysis can avoid.

Browse all 24 case studies →

Guides answer the questions case studies can't answer alone — questions that require pulling patterns across multiple markets and vehicles. Round-up analyses, best-of rankings by use case, buyer's guides, and analytical frameworks that reference specific case studies where the framework has been applied. Three guides live below.

More guides in development — buyer's guides by mileage tier, EV depreciation analysis, and use-case rankings.

State-level EV incentives and utility rate programs jointly determine whether an EV makes financial sense in a given market. State credits provide a one-time purchase-side boost; utility rate design determines the recurring per-kWh cost that plays out over five to ten years of ownership. Both matter, and they interact — a well-designed utility EV rate can save thousands more than a modest state credit, while an aggressive state rebate can rescue an otherwise-marginal utility environment. This category consolidates both: state-by-state policy analyses documenting incentive landscapes, alongside utility deep-dives on the rate structures EV owners actually pay under.

State Policy Analyses

First state analysis live. Massachusetts, Oregon, California, New York and additional states with active EV programs in development.

Utility Rate Deep-Dives

The EV question isn't just about the car — it's about where and how you charge. This category documents commercial and public charging investment programs, utility rebate structures for infrastructure deployment, and — as content develops — DC fast charging availability by metro, charging deserts analysis, planned buildouts (Tesla Supercharger expansion, Electrify America, EVgo, ChargePoint, IONNA), and the economics of home vs. public charging by driver profile.

First piece live — DTE commercial charging deep-dive. Additional coverage in development: metro-level charging density analysis (using DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center data), network operator comparisons, and city-by-city infrastructure rankings.

Full specifications for every electric vehicle in the Drive Economics library — 92 models across 32 makes, spanning 2024 through 2027 model years. Each vehicle has EPA range, MPGe efficiency, kWh/100mi consumption, MSRP, body style, and US availability status. Data refreshed quarterly from Electric Compare, EPA fueleconomy.gov, and direct manufacturer sources. Individual model pages cross-link to relevant case studies and drop directly into the EV Cost calculator for personalized ownership math.

The library includes globally-available models not currently sold in the US (Buick Electra L7, Rimac Nevera, and others) with clear availability badges. This reflects the reality that Drive Economics readers include international audiences and US buyers tracking upcoming market entries.