Is Public EV Charging Cheaper than Gas?
By SalaryFor.com – real salaries for all professions
Electric vehicles (EVs) are often said to be cheaper to operate than gas cars—but are they or is that hype?
This comparison assumes:
- 12,000 miles driven per year
- 25 mpg gas car
- Public fast charging only (closest time approximation to gas)
Public Charging vs. Gas (Cost + Time)
| Option | Yearly Cost | Time per Stop | Compared to Gas |
| Gas Car ($3.25/gal) | ~$1,560 | ~5 minutes | |
| EV (Typical Fast) | ~$1,350 | 25–35 minutes | Save ~$200 |
| Gas Car ($4.00/gal) | ~$1,920 | ~5 minutes | |
| EV (Typical Fast) | ~$1,350 | 25–35 minutes | Save ~$570 |
What This Means
🚗 Driving Assumption Matters
All the savings above are based on driving 12,000 miles per year.
- If you drive more, you save more (or spend more)
- If you drive less, the savings shrink
💰 Cost Comparison
- At $3.25/gallon:
- EV saves about $200 per year
- At $4.00/gallon:
- EV savings increase to about $570 per year
👉 The more expensive gas gets—and the more you drive—the more EVs tend to save.
⏱️ Time Comparison
- Gas fill-up: about 5 minutes
- Fast charging: about 25–35 minutes
👉 The trade-off remains the same:
Lower cost vs. significantly longer stops
The Big Picture
- At lower gas prices (~$3.25):
- Savings are modest
- At higher gas prices (~$4.00):
- Savings become somewhat more noticeable
- Regardless of price:
- Fast charging takes much longer than refueling with gas
Important Disclaimer
This comparison does NOT include insurance costs.
In many cases, EV insurance can be higher than gas cars, sometimes significantly higher, due to:
- More expensive repairs
- Specialized parts and labor
- Higher replacement costs
👉 Because of this, the overall cost difference between EVs and gas cars may be smaller—or even reversed—once insurance is included.
Bottom Line
- Based on 12,000 miles per year:
- At $3.25 gas, EVs save about $200 per year
- At $4.00 gas, EVs save about $570 per year
- But:
- You spend 5×–7× more time per stop charging vs. fueling
- And:
- Insurance and other costs can significantly affect total savings
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Posted on March 19, 2026 at 5:09 am by salaryfor.com · Permalink
In: Finance · Tagged with: ev versus gas, public ev charging
In: Finance · Tagged with: ev versus gas, public ev charging
