About This Site

Real numbers.
No agenda.

Gas vs Electric is an independent tool for comparing the true cost of owning different types of vehicles — built on publicly available government data.

Our mission

The decision between a gas car, hybrid, or electric vehicle is one of the most significant financial choices most people make. The information online is fragmented, often outdated, and frequently biased toward selling you something.

This site exists to give you a single place to see the honest numbers — fuel costs by state, real maintenance differences, battery longevity data, and what the full 5-year cost of ownership actually looks like for specific vehicle comparisons.

We use publicly available data from the EIA, EPA, and independent research organizations. Where we cite statistics, we link to the original source.

Data sources

Every data point on this site comes from one of these primary sources.

Electricity rates by state, weekly retail gas prices
MPG, MPGe, and EPA range ratings for all vehicles
Annual maintenance cost averages, insurance benchmarks
Real-world battery degradation data from 20,000+ EVs
Public EV charging station count and coverage
Owner-reported reliability and maintenance costs
Federal EV tax credit eligibility and rules
5-year vehicle depreciation rates by model

Transparency

Things you should know about how this site works.

Vehicle recommendation cards
The vehicle cards on our guides currently show no affiliate links. In the future, some cards may include referral links to TrueCar, CarGurus, or Edmunds. These will be labeled as affiliate links.
Calculator accuracy
The fuel cost calculator uses EIA state-level electricity rates and current gas price estimates. Results are estimates — actual savings depend on your specific driving patterns, electricity rate plan, and vehicle efficiency.
Live data
Gas and electricity prices shown on some pages are fetched from the EIA API. When live data is unavailable, we fall back to recent national averages and label them clearly.
No manufacturer relationships
This site has no relationships with any vehicle manufacturer, dealership, or automotive brand. Vehicle mentions reflect publicly available data, not paid placement.

All guides

Everything we've published on the site.

Range Anxiety Guide
Real-world EV ranges and how the charging network covers your routes.
Battery Longevity
How long EV batteries last, degradation data, and warranty coverage.
Total Cost of Ownership
Full 5-year cost comparison including fuel, insurance, and maintenance.
Home vs Public Charging
Level 1/2/DCFC explained, installation costs, and network guide.
Hybrid vs Full Electric
A decision framework based on your charging situation and driving habits.
Best Vehicles by Use Case
Specific model picks for commuters, families, and long-distance drivers.
Maintenance Costs
Year-by-year service costs for EV vs gas, item by item.
gasvselectric.net — Independent vehicle cost comparison. Data last reviewed: May 2025.