What is an EV, really?
An electric vehicle has a big battery instead of a gas tank, and an electric motor instead of an engine. You fill it up by plugging it in, usually at home while you sleep. How fast it fills depends on the plug.
Level 1: a regular wall outlet
about 4 miles per hourThe same 120-volt plug as your phone charger. Like filling a pool with a garden hose. A night of charging adds about 40 miles.
Level 2: a 240-volt home charger
about 25 miles per hourThe same kind of plug as an electric dryer. An electrician installs it. You wake up full every morning. This is what makes owning an EV easy.
DC fast charging: the road-trip stop
100+ miles in about 20 minutesThe EV version of a gas station, found along highways. Fast, but it usually costs two to three times more than charging at home.
Bars show time to add 100 miles, drawn to the same scale. Real speeds depend on the car and the charger.
Battery size and MPGe
Battery size: how big is the tank?
Gas tanks are measured in gallons. EV batteries are measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). More kWh means more miles, the same way a bigger tank does.
Most EVs hold 60 to 100 kWh. Big trucks can hold 130 or more. A bigger battery also costs more, weighs more (harder on tires), and takes longer to fill.
Tip: most owners charge to 80% day to day and fill to 100% only before a long trip. It's easier on the battery.
MPGe: "miles per gallon" for electricity
The EPA says 33.7 kWh holds the same energy as one gallon of gas. MPGe tells you how far the car goes on that much electricity. Higher is better, just like MPG.
The handier number is miles per kWh. Divide MPGe by 33.7 to get it.
A high MPGe doesn't mean "four times cheaper than gas." Your cost depends on what you pay for electricity, so do the cost-per-mile math.
Try it with any EV
Find a car's MPGe and battery size on its window sticker or at fueleconomy.gov. Estimates assume normal weather and mostly home charging. California home rates often run about 30¢ per kWh.
Where you save
- Cheaper "fuel" at homeHome charging costs about 5¢ a mile at 18¢ per kWh. A 30 MPG gas car at $4.50 a gallon costs about 15¢.
- No oil changesNo oil, spark plugs, timing belts, or exhaust. Consumer Reports found EV owners spend about half as much on repairs and maintenance.
- Brakes last longerThe motor slows the car down and puts energy back in the battery, so the brake pads do less work.
- Fewer parts to breakAn electric motor has far fewer moving parts than a gas engine and transmission.
- Battery warrantyMost EV batteries are covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles.
Where it costs more
- Tires wear out fasterThe battery makes EVs heavy, and they launch hard. Tires often wear out about 20% faster, and EV tires cost more.
- More suspension wearThat extra weight also works the suspension harder: control arms, bushings, and shocks.
- Higher insuranceEVs average about 42% more to insure, mostly because repairs cost more. The gap is closer to 18% on 2024 and newer models.
- Fast charging isn't cheapPublic fast chargers average about 45 to 50¢ per kWh, close to what gas costs per mile.
- Cold weather cuts rangeAt freezing, the average EV loses about 20% of its range. At 20°F with the heat on, it can be close to 40%.
- Value drops fasterMany EVs lose value faster than gas cars, which matters if you sell or trade in early.
Will an EV work for you?
Where these numbers come from
- Home charging install costs: 2026 national installer surveys (typical $1,000 to $2,500; $2,000 to $6,000 with a panel upgrade). Big-city and West Coast prices often run 10 to 25% higher.
- Home and fast-charging prices: U.S. EIA residential average (about 17¢/kWh, February 2026; California is about 31¢) and 2026 network price trackers (about 45 to 50¢/kWh for fast charging).
- Maintenance: Consumer Reports repair and maintenance analysis.
- Insurance: Insurify EV insurance report, 2026.
- Cold weather: Recurrent study via Kelley Blue Book and AAA cold-weather testing.
- MPGe and the 33.7 kWh-per-gallon figure: EPA, fueleconomy.gov. Battery sizes are typical ranges for current models.
- Tire wear: tire makers including Michelin estimate about 20% faster wear on EVs.
These are national averages to help you think it through. Your own costs depend on your car, your home, and your area.