Free · auditable · updated monthly
The true 5-year cost to own an EV, by state
Real per-state electricity and gas prices, the full cost of ownership — not just charging — and every formula shown. Start with the Tesla Model Y, pick your state, and adjust any assumption.
Cost-to-own calculator
Driving profile
Ownership costs — depreciation, insurance & fees
State + federal. Verify current amounts.
Depreciation is usually the largest line — and the biggest source of uncertainty — so tune it to your own resale outlook. Insurance, registration & incentives default to Texas estimates.
Comparison car: Mazda CX-5 ownership
Defaults: depreciation & maintenance from CX-5 data; insurance ≈ 87% of the EV figure; registration assumes no EV road-use fee.
Precision: utility plan, L2 charger, escalation
Grows the 5-yr energy cost. Off (0%) by default.
0% = cash. Adds loan interest to both cars.
Set time-of-use rates manually above. Real utility plans aren't loaded for this state yet.
Annual energy
≈ $780
$0.07/mi
5-year cost to own
≈ $50,600
≈ $10,110/yr all-in
5-yr vs Mazda CX-5
+$10,400
more to own
Energy use & cost (per year)
Gas comparison (Mazda CX-5)
Below this pump price, the Mazda CX-5 is cheaper to fuel than the EV is to charge; above it, the EV wins. (This is fuel only — see total cost to own below.)
5-year total cost of ownership
The operating subtotal is the data-backed part. Depreciation is an estimate and is usually the largest single line — adjust it to your own resale outlook.
5-year cost to own: EV vs gas
Bottom line
The Tesla Model Y costs about $10,400 more to own than the Mazda CX-5 here today — but it pulls ahead on total cost to own if gas tops $7.55/gal (now $3.05).
Gas total includes its depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and registration (edit them in “Comparison car ownership” above).
Home L2 charger payback
How this is calculated
Annual electricity
(28 ÷ 100 × 12,000 mi) ÷ 0.88 = 3,818 kWh
Home charging cost
3,055 kWh × $0.14 = $440/yr
Public charging cost
764 kWh × $0.45 = $344/yr
Annual energy cost
$440 + $344 = $783/yr
Annual gas cost
(12,000 ÷ 26 mpg) × $3.05 = $1,408/yr
Fuel break-even gas price
$783 ÷ 462 gal = $1.70/gal
EV 5-year TCO
$26,094 + $3,917 + $16,300 + $3,250 + $1,000 − $0 = $50,561
Gas 5-year TCO
$13,200 + $7,038 + $14,180 + $5,500 + $250 = $40,168
5-year ownership difference
$50,561 − $40,168 = +$10,393 (EV pricier)
L2 payback
$1,300 ÷ (($0.45 − $0.14) × 3,055 kWh) = 1.4 yr
Estimates, not quotes. Figures use Texas averages and the assumptions above — your real costs depend on your utility plan, driving, insurer, and the incentives you actually qualify for. Verify with your utility, insurer, and state DMV before deciding.
How it works
Real per-state prices
Electricity and gas vary enormously by state. We use EIA data for each one, refreshed monthly — not a single national average.
Full cost of ownership
Most calculators stop at charging cost. We model depreciation, insurance, maintenance, fees, and incentives across five years.
Every formula shown
Open “How this is calculated” to see each number with your inputs plugged in. Nothing is a black box.
Models we cover
Compare any two EVs →Pick your state
See the Tesla Model Y cost to own in all 50 states and DC, or view the full ranking →.
- Alabama AL
- Alaska AK
- Arizona AZ
- Arkansas AR
- California CA
- Colorado CO
- Connecticut CT
- Delaware DE
- District of Columbia DC
- Florida FL
- Georgia GA
- Hawaii HI
- Idaho ID
- Illinois IL
- Indiana IN
- Iowa IA
- Kansas KS
- Kentucky KY
- Louisiana LA
- Maine ME
- Maryland MD
- Massachusetts MA
- Michigan MI
- Minnesota MN
- Mississippi MS
- Missouri MO
- Montana MT
- Nebraska NE
- Nevada NV
- New Hampshire NH
- New Jersey NJ
- New Mexico NM
- New York NY
- North Carolina NC
- North Dakota ND
- Ohio OH
- Oklahoma OK
- Oregon OR
- Pennsylvania PA
- Rhode Island RI
- South Carolina SC
- South Dakota SD
- Tennessee TN
- Texas TX
- Utah UT
- Vermont VT
- Virginia VA
- Washington WA
- West Virginia WV
- Wisconsin WI
- Wyoming WY
Frequently asked questions
- What does “true cost to own” include?
- Depreciation, energy (home + public charging), insurance, maintenance, and registration over five years, minus any one-time incentives — not just the cost to charge. Every input is editable and every formula is shown.
- Where does the data come from?
- Home electricity and gasoline prices come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); vehicle efficiency comes from EPA FuelEconomy.gov. Insurance, fees, and incentives are state-level estimates you can override.
- How often is it updated?
- An automated pipeline refreshes the per-state electricity and gas prices monthly and re-stamps each page's “last updated” date.
- Is it free, and are these official quotes?
- It is completely free. The results are estimates for comparison, not quotes — verify with your utility, insurer, and state DMV before deciding.