Amped Auto / Garage Math / Issue 15 · 2026

The true costOF EVERY MILE.

Live Calc

Pit two vehicles against each other on the only spec sheet that matters — what they cost to live with. Adjust the dials. The numbers don't lie.

Ownership Period
Miles Per Year
State
Total Distance
65,000
mi
Popular comparisons
A
EV · Preset loaded
$
Use MSRP or your expected out-the-door price
mi/kWh
Range: 2.5–5. Check EPA label.
$/kWh
Check your utility bill
Home 80%
$/kWh
DC fast charge avg: $0.30–$0.50
Routine wear items, oil, tires
$
Federal credit expired Sept 2025
%/yr
EV avg: ~12%/yr
$
Enter 0 if insurance is the same as a baseline car
B
Gas · Preset loaded
$
MPG
$/gal
$
%/yr
Gas avg: ~9%/yr
$
A
Winner · Lowest Total Cost
Margin of Victory
§ 01 Cost Breakdown
Vehicle A · EV
Net purchase
Energy / fuel
Maintenance
Insurance Δ
Resale value
Net Total ·
Vehicle B · Gas
Net purchase
Energy / fuel
Maintenance
Insurance Δ
Resale value
Net Total ·
§ 02 Head-to-head Net cost of ownership, all-in
A
B
Net Purchase
Energy
Maintenance
Insurance Δ
Resale Credit
§ 03 Year-by-year Running total. Crossover row is the break-even point.
Year Vehicle A Vehicle B Cumulative Gap (B−A) Lead
§ 04 The bottom line
Cost Difference
Break-Even Point
Cost Per Mile

What's included: Net purchase (MSRP minus incentives), energy costs with blended home/public charging rate for EVs, routine maintenance, insurance delta, and resale value via compound depreciation at end of period.

What's excluded: Financing/interest, sales tax & fees, home charger installation, charging membership fees, inflation adjustments, and extraordinary repairs. Federal EV tax credit expired Sept 30, 2025 — check state programs. Maintenance and depreciation figures are industry averages; individual results vary.

Data sources: State gas prices from AAA (July 2026); residential electricity rates from EIA Electric Power Monthly (March 2026). State incentives are base rebate amounts — income-qualified adders may increase them. All defaults are editable.

Owner's Picks · Affiliate Links

If The Math Just Sold You, Here's What Plugging In Actually Looks Like

Whatever the calculator just told you, the real difference between a good EV experience and an annoying one comes down to your charging setup. Here's what we'd actually buy.

Also worth having: NOCO GENIUS10 Battery Charger — works for the gas-car side of the comparison too.

Scroll to Top