Total cost of ownership

Every cost.
No spin.

Drive Economics calculates what an electric or gas vehicle actually costs over its lifetime — purchase, financing, fuel, electricity, maintenance, insurance, depreciation, taxes, and incentives. All of it, audited and unbiased.

Illustrative comparison 5-year total cost · California · 12,000 mi/yr
Electric

Tesla Model 3
Long Range

$0

Net 5-year cost

  • Purchase$42,990
  • Electricity$3,500
  • Maintenance$2,400
  • Insurance$9,200
  • Incentives−$7,500
  • Resale value−$22,000
Gasoline

Toyota Camry
XSE V6

$0

Net 5-year cost

  • Purchase$33,400
  • Gasoline$11,800
  • Maintenance$4,500
  • Insurance$8,100
  • Incentives$0
  • Resale value−$19,500

Electric saves $0 over 5 years

Sample figures only. Run your own scenario for an accurate result.

Run your comparison See the methodology

The crossover moment

When does the math flip?

An EV usually costs more to buy. A gas car usually costs more to run. Somewhere along the ownership timeline, the cumulative cost lines cross — and the EV becomes the cheaper option. Drive Economics calculates that crossover point for any pair of vehicles you compare.

$60k $45k $30k $15k $0 Y0 Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 CROSSOVER · YEAR 3.2 EV becomes cheaper Gas $59,500 EV $55,000

Illustrative scenario. Your crossover point depends on your vehicles, electricity rate, gas price, annual mileage, and available incentives. The calculators will compute yours exactly.

The methodology

Why most calculators get it wrong.

Most TCO calculators are built by automakers, dealer associations, or advocacy groups. The math reflects who paid for it. A gas-industry calculator buries home charging install costs. An EV-advocacy calculator assumes the best-case incentive and the cheapest off-peak electricity rate.

Drive Economics is independent. We pull live gas prices from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Live electricity rates from your utility. Live incentive data from federal and state programs. We update vehicle specs from EPA. And we publish every assumption.

If our numbers say a gas car wins for your use case, we tell you that.

What's included

Every line item, accounted for.

You pay

  • Purchase price & sales tax
  • Financing & interest
  • Fuel or electricity
  • Routine maintenance
  • Repairs beyond warranty
  • Insurance
  • Registration & inspection
  • Home charging install
  • Depreciation

You get back

  • Federal tax credit (up to $7,500)
  • State & utility rebates
  • Lower maintenance (EVs)
  • Resale value
  • HOV access & parking perks
  • Fuel cost avoidance

The tools

Five calculators. One honest answer.

Calculator

EV Cost

Total cost to own and operate any electric vehicle in your state.

Featured

EV vs. Gas

Side-by-side comparison of any electric and any gas vehicle across the full ownership period.

Database

Incentives & Rebates

Federal, state, and utility programs you actually qualify for.

Reference

Utility Rates

Time-of-use rates, EV plans, and your home's charging cost per mile.

Library

Case Studies

Real owners, real numbers, real receipts. No marketing.