Going from Pump to Plug

The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis finds that EVs are significantly cheaper to fuel and maintain than gasoline vehicles, with median annual fuel savings exceeding $770. While purchase prices are generally higher, federal and state incentives can make EVs competitive or even cheaper than comparable gasoline cars. The report emphasizes the role of time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates in reducing costs and recommends policies to expand charging infrastructure and maintain purchase incentives to accelerate the transition to electric mobility.

• Electric vehicles offer substantial annual fuel savings compared to new gasoline vehicles sold in 2016, with savings ranging from $443 to $1,077 per year. The median annual savings for an EV driver exceed $770, specifically $706 on standard rate plans and $818 on time-of-use (TOU) plans.
• Time-of-use (TOU) or EV-specific rate plans significantly lower charging costs by offering cheaper electricity during off-peak hours. These rates range from $0.03 to $0.21 per kWh, making fuel costs at least $1 per gallon equivalent lower than the current cost of gasoline for all examined providers.
• Electricity is a more stable and cheaper fuel source than gasoline. Over the last 15 years, the average national price of electricity for vehicles has remained around $1 per gallon gasoline equivalent ($0.88 to $1.17), whereas US gasoline prices between 2002 and 2017 fluctuated from under $2.00 to over $4.50 per gallon.
• While the average transaction price for EVs (excluding Tesla) is approximately $4,000 higher than the average for new vehicles, federal and state incentives can reduce the price to be similar to or lower than comparable gasoline cars.
• EVs, particularly battery electric vehicles, have lower maintenance costs due to mechanical simplicity and the absence of oil changes and engine services. For example, a Chevrolet Bolt EV costs $1,500 less to maintain over the first 150,000 miles than a gasoline-powered Chevrolet Sonic.
• Public charging costs have a minimal impact on overall savings because the majority of EV charging (estimated at 70 to 80 percent) occurs at home.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2017). Going from Pump to Plug. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/11/cv-executive-summary-ev-savings.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Going from Pump to Plug. 2017. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/11/cv-executive-summary-ev-savings.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Going from Pump to Plug |date=November 2017 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/11/cv-executive-summary-ev-savings.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2017going, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Going from Pump to Plug}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2017}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/11/cv-executive-summary-ev-savings.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }