Going Pump-Plug

The Union of Concerned Scientists found that EV owners in each of the 50 largest US cities can save money on fuel, with median annual savings exceeding $770. The report highlights the stability of electricity prices compared to gasoline and the role of off-peak, time-of-use rate plans in reducing costs. It recommends expanding public charging infrastructure, maintaining purchase incentives, and implementing policies to make EVs accessible to lower-income households and residents of multi-unit dwellings.

• Analysis of the 50 largest US cities shows that every city has a rate plan allowing the average EV owner to save on fuel, with median annual savings exceeding $770 and a range between $440 and over $1,070.
• Off-peak, time-of-use electricity rates, which range from $0.03 to $0.21 per kWh, result in gasoline equivalent costs between $0.25 and $1.78 per gallon.
• Electricity prices as a vehicle fuel have been more stable than oil prices over the last 15 years; the national average for electricity remained around $1 per gallon ($0.88 to $1.17), while gasoline prices between 2002 and 2017 fluctuated from under $2.00 to over $4.50 per gallon.
• EV purchase prices are expected to decrease and approach those of gasoline vehicles due to rising production and falling battery costs.
• EVs, such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV, can be cheaper to maintain than gasoline vehicles because they do not require oil changes or other engine services, and their motor and battery systems need little to no scheduled maintenance.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2017). Going Pump-Plug. https://www.ucs.org/resources/going-pump-plug

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Going Pump-Plug. 2017. https://www.ucs.org/resources/going-pump-plug.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Going Pump-Plug |date=17 November 2017 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/going-pump-plug |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2017going, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Going Pump-Plug}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2017}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/going-pump-plug}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }