Plug-in Hybrid vs EV vs Gas: 5-Year Cost
Enter your miles, the cars' efficiency and how much of the plug-in hybrid's driving is electric, pick your state, and compare five years of energy and maintenance for all three.
PHEV vs EV vs gas, 5 years
F06Scenario A
Sets the electricity rate. Pick US average if you're not sure.
From EIA for US average. Use the rate on your bill if you know it.
Rate used: 18.4¢/kWh · US average · EIA reference 2025–26 · gasoline $3.20/gal (data as of 2026-09-26) ·
Lowest 5-year cost: EV
Energy and maintenance only; the purchase price is left out.
- EV, 5 years (energy + maintenance)
- $6,091.20
- Plug-in hybrid, 5 years (energy + maintenance)
- $9,016.61
- Gas car, 5 years (energy + maintenance)
- $11,900.00
Estimate. Formula and sources are under “How it works”. Change any input; the result updates as you type.
Formula
How it works
Per year, then × 5:
- EV = kWh per 100 miles ÷ 100 × 1.12 × electricity rate × miles + EV maintenance
- Plug-in hybrid = gasoline price ÷ PHEV mpg × miles × (1 − electric share) + 0.35 kWh per mile × 1.12 × electricity rate × miles × electric share + PHEV maintenance
- Gas car = gasoline price ÷ mpg × miles + gas maintenance
The 1.12 adds about 12% for charging losses. 0.35 kWh per mile is a typical plug-in hybrid in electric mode. The comparison leaves out the purchase price, financing, insurance and resale on purpose: it answers "what does each cost to run?", not "which car should I buy?".
Sources: EV efficiency from EPA fueleconomy.gov; charging losses ~12% (DOE / Idaho National Laboratory); maintenance from Consumer Reports 2024 (EVs about half the maintenance cost of gas cars); plug-in hybrid electric-mode use of 0.35 kWh/mi (typical). Electricity rate: EIA Electric Power Monthly table 5.6.A. Gasoline: EIA and AAA.
Worked example
A worked example
In California, driving 15,000 miles a year, five years of energy and maintenance come to about $11,064.00 for a Hyundai Ioniq 5, $13,868.49 for a plug-in hybrid that runs 70% of its miles on electricity, and $19,600.00 for a 25 mpg gas car.
Reference
By state, at the default inputs
Lowest 5-year cost: EV, with this page's default inputs and each state's reference prices (EIA reference 2025–26, data as of 2026-09-26).
| US average | $6,091.20 | 18.4¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $5,604.00 | 15.5¢/kWh |
| Alaska | $7,200.00 | 25.0¢/kWh |
| Arizona | $5,520.00 | 15.0¢/kWh |
| Arkansas | $5,184.00 | 13.0¢/kWh |
| California | $8,376.00 | 32.0¢/kWh |
| Colorado | $5,688.00 | 16.0¢/kWh |
| Connecticut | $8,040.00 | 30.0¢/kWh |
| Delaware | $5,856.00 | 17.0¢/kWh |
| District of Columbia | $6,192.00 | 19.0¢/kWh |
| Florida | $5,520.00 | 15.0¢/kWh |
| Georgia | $5,436.00 | 14.5¢/kWh |
| Hawaii | $10,056.00 | 42.0¢/kWh |
| Idaho | $5,016.00 | 12.0¢/kWh |
| Illinois | $5,856.00 | 17.0¢/kWh |
| Indiana | $5,604.00 | 15.5¢/kWh |
| Iowa | $5,268.00 | 13.5¢/kWh |
| Kansas | $5,436.00 | 14.5¢/kWh |
| Kentucky | $5,184.00 | 13.0¢/kWh |
| Louisiana | $5,100.00 | 12.5¢/kWh |
| Maine | $7,368.00 | 26.0¢/kWh |
| Maryland | $6,192.00 | 19.0¢/kWh |
| Massachusetts | $7,872.00 | 29.0¢/kWh |
| Michigan | $6,276.00 | 19.5¢/kWh |
| Minnesota | $5,604.00 | 15.5¢/kWh |
| Mississippi | $5,268.00 | 13.5¢/kWh |
| Missouri | $5,184.00 | 13.0¢/kWh |
| Montana | $5,184.00 | 13.0¢/kWh |
| Nebraska | $5,016.00 | 12.0¢/kWh |
| Nevada | $5,520.00 | 15.0¢/kWh |
| New Hampshire | $7,536.00 | 27.0¢/kWh |
| New Jersey | $6,696.00 | 22.0¢/kWh |
| New Mexico | $5,520.00 | 15.0¢/kWh |
| New York | $7,200.00 | 25.0¢/kWh |
| North Carolina | $5,436.00 | 14.5¢/kWh |
| North Dakota | $4,932.00 | 11.5¢/kWh |
| Ohio | $5,772.00 | 16.5¢/kWh |
| Oklahoma | $5,184.00 | 13.0¢/kWh |
| Oregon | $5,436.00 | 14.5¢/kWh |
| Pennsylvania | $6,108.00 | 18.5¢/kWh |
| Rhode Island | $7,872.00 | 29.0¢/kWh |
| South Carolina | $5,520.00 | 15.0¢/kWh |
| South Dakota | $5,184.00 | 13.0¢/kWh |
| Tennessee | $5,268.00 | 13.5¢/kWh |
| Texas | $5,604.00 | 15.5¢/kWh |
| Utah | $5,016.00 | 12.0¢/kWh |
| Vermont | $6,696.00 | 22.0¢/kWh |
| Virginia | $5,604.00 | 15.5¢/kWh |
| Washington | $5,016.00 | 12.0¢/kWh |
| West Virginia | $5,604.00 | 15.5¢/kWh |
| Wisconsin | $5,940.00 | 17.5¢/kWh |
| Wyoming | $5,100.00 | 12.5¢/kWh |
Questions
FAQ
Is a plug-in hybrid worth it if I can't charge at work?
It depends on how much of your driving the battery covers from home charging alone. At US-average prices in the default example, dropping the electric share from 60% to 20% raises the plug-in hybrid's 5-year cost from about $9,016.61 to $9,205.54. Set the share to match your commute and see the number.
EV vs hybrid: which costs less to run?
In the default example (US average prices, 12,000 miles a year), five years of energy and maintenance come to about $6,091.20 for a Tesla Model 3 RWD, $9,016.61 for a plug-in hybrid at 60% electric and $11,900.00 for a 30 mpg gas car. The purchase price is the bigger number, and it isn't in this calculator.
How much does EV maintenance cost?
We default to $600 a year for an EV, $900 for a plug-in hybrid and $1,100 for a gas car. Consumer Reports' 2024 data puts EV maintenance at about half of a gas car's. Tires and insurance aren't included.
Why no purchase price?
Prices, incentives and financing change too often, and they would turn this into a car-shopping tool. Add the price difference yourself to the 5-year result if you want the full picture.
Does electricity price change the winner?
It changes the gap. In a state with expensive electricity and cheap gasoline the EV's advantage shrinks; the result updates with your state's prices.
Related