Going from Pump to Plug

The report finds that electric vehicles (EVs) are significantly cheaper to fuel and maintain than gasoline vehicles in the US. Analysis of 60 electricity providers across the 50 largest US cities shows that at least one rate plan in every location makes EV driving cheaper than the average new gasoline vehicle, with median annual fuel savings exceeding $770. While the initial purchase price of EVs is typically higher, federal and state incentives, along with declining battery costs, are increasing affordability. The report recommends policies to expand charging infrastructure, particularly DC fast charging in urban areas, and the implementation of time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates to further reduce costs and emissions.

• Electric vehicles offer substantial fuel savings over gasoline cars across the US. In a study of 60 electricity providers in the 50 largest US cities and seven additional cities, every location had at least one rate plan that made EV driving cheaper than the average new gasoline vehicle. Annual fuel savings were estimated between $443 and $1,077, with a median annual saving of more than $770.
• Time-of-use (TOU) electricity rate plans significantly lower the cost of recharging EVs by offering cheaper power during off-peak hours. Analysis shows that all examined providers have EV fuel costs at least $1 per gallon equivalent lower than the current cost of gasoline when using TOU pricing.
• Electricity prices for vehicle fuel are far less volatile than gasoline prices. Over the last 15 years, US residential electricity rates in constant dollars ranged from $0.88 to $1.17 per gallon gasoline equivalent, whereas gasoline prices fluctuated from below $2.00 to over $4.50 per gallon.
• EVs have lower maintenance costs because they lack gasoline engines and associated components. For example, the recommended maintenance for a Chevrolet Bolt EV is more than $1,500 cheaper than for a similarly sized Chevrolet Sonic over 150,000 miles. Overall, an average EV is estimated to save $2,100 in maintenance, repairs, and tires over a medium-sized gasoline sedan over 150,000 miles.
• Although the average transaction price for EVs (excluding Teslas) is approximately $4,000 higher than the overall average for new vehicles, government incentives reduce this gap. Federal income tax credits of up to $7,500 and state-level rebates (such as $1,500 to $4,500 in California) can make the net MSRP of an EV similar to or lower than a comparable gasoline car.
• Public charging infrastructure varies by type and cost. Level 2 chargers are the most common with over 16,000 stations in the US, and many are free. DC fast chargers (DCFC) are less common and more concentrated in coastal and urban areas; while most non-Tesla DCFCs require payment, costs in California are often less than $4 per gallon equivalent.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2017). Going from Pump to Plug. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/11/cv-report-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-report-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-report-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-report-ev-savings.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }