EV vs Gas Vehicle Costs in California
What fuel costs a driver in California, from California's own electricity and gasoline prices.
Gas fuel, per year
$2,924
EV electricity, per year
$1,892
Fuel difference, per year
$1,032
Per mile, EV vs gas
12.6¢ vs 19.5¢
What these fuel costs rest on
- Driving: 15,000 miles a year, the basis of the EPA fuel economy label.
- Electricity: 33.61 cents per kWh, California residential average, 2026-07 (U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly).
- Gasoline: $4.34 a gallon for 2025, all grades. The state price is derived from EIA's state price file and its national annual price.
- Efficiency: the average of 818 EPA-rated electric trims (37.5 kWh per 100 miles) and 1,447 EPA-rated gas trims (22.2 mpg), the three newest EPA model years. A simple average over trims, not weighted by sales.
The federal clean vehicle credit ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025 (IRS); state and local programs are not listed here. Purchase price, insurance and resale value decide the total cost, and EPA publishes none of them, so the calculator asks you for them.
Run Your Personalized EV vs Gas Analysis
Enter your vehicles, your state and your driving. You get a total-cost comparison with a range of savings drawn from past fuel-price swings, and every assumption listed.
Start Free AnalysisCounties in California
Los Angeles CountySan Diego CountyOrange CountyRiverside CountySan Bernardino CountySanta Clara CountyAlameda CountySacramento CountyContra Costa CountyFresno CountyKern CountySan Francisco CountyVentura CountySan Joaquin CountySan Mateo CountyStanislaus CountySonoma CountyTulare CountySolano CountySanta Barbara CountyMonterey CountyPlacer CountyMerced CountySan Luis Obispo County