Comparing the Cost to Travel: Electric Vehicle Fill-Up Savings by State

This report by Energy Innovation analyzes the cost savings of operating electric vehicles (EVs) compared to gas-powered vehicles across the United States, focusing on 'fill-up' costs for sedans, SUVs, and trucks. Using a custom cost comparison tool, the authors find that EV drivers in every state save money per trip and annually, though the magnitude of these savings varies significantly based on state-level electricity rates and gasoline prices.

• EVs are more cost-effective to fuel than gas-powered vehicles across all primary passenger vehicle classes, including sedans, SUVs, and trucks, in every U.S. state.
• Washington State offers the highest cost savings for EV drivers due to a combination of the lowest residential electricity prices in the U.S. ($0.10/kWh) and the highest gas prices ($4.98/gallon). Savings per trip in Washington are nearly $50 for SUVs, nearly $60 for sedans, and over $80 for trucks.
• Hawaii has lower EV cost savings than other states because of its high average residential electricity rates of $0.43/kWh, though savings still occur, ranging from $15 for SUVs to $26 for sedans.
• In the Southeast—specifically Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas—gas prices are the lowest in the country. In these states, the most popular vehicles (pickup trucks) provide approximately $30 in cost savings per trip when using EV models over fossil fuel versions.
• The report recommends that regulators and utilities implement time-varying rates (TVRs) and managed charging to handle increased EV load and avoid straining the grid, while emphasizing the need for federal funds to deploy equitable public charging infrastructure for those without home charging access.

APA

Baldwin, S., & Conness, J. (2023). Comparing the Cost to Travel: Electric Vehicle Fill-Up Savings by State. Energy Innovation. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/EV-Fill-Up-Savings-by-State-3.pdf

Chicago

Baldwin, Sara, and Jack Conness. Comparing the Cost to Travel: Electric Vehicle Fill-Up Savings by State. Energy Innovation, 2023. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/EV-Fill-Up-Savings-by-State-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Baldwin |first1=Sara |last2=Conness |first2=Jack |title=Comparing the Cost to Travel: Electric Vehicle Fill-Up Savings by State |publisher=Energy Innovation |date=August 2023 |url=https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/EV-Fill-Up-Savings-by-State-3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{baldwin2023comparing, author = {Baldwin, Sara and Conness, Jack}, title = {{Comparing the Cost to Travel: Electric Vehicle Fill-Up Savings by State}}, institution = {Energy Innovation}, year = {2023}, month = aug, url = {https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/EV-Fill-Up-Savings-by-State-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }