Annual data story · computed, not opined
Cost to Drive Index 2026
Every number below is computed from the 424 cost-ready 2026 records in our hand-reviewed set, at 12,000 miles/year, 55% city, national-average prices as of July 24, 2026 (state sections use EIA state prices: electricity May 2026, gasoline week ending 2026-07-20). Medians, not cherry-picks; energy cost only, never total cost of ownership. Methodology →
The headline: powertrain medians
$176.67
median per month · 203 vehicles
$132.11
median per month · 101 vehicles
$128.09
median per month · 18 vehicles
$63.85
median per month · 87 vehicles
By vehicle class
| Class (all powertrains) | Median per month | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| Small SUVs | $144.25 | 163 |
| Standard SUVs | $179.23 | 104 |
| Midsize cars | $118.33 | 41 |
| Compact cars | $115.97 | 21 |
| Pickup trucks | $197.35 | 48 |
The gas-vs-EV gap, state by state
Median 2026 gasoline vehicle vs median 2026 EV, computed at each state's EIA residential electricity and regular-gasoline prices. Nationally the gap is $112.82/month in the EV's favor — but the spread across states is wide:
One limit worth stating: EIA's weekly state series covers regular gasoline only, so the 57 of 203 gasoline records that require premium or midgrade keep the dated national average for their grade in every state. Their state-to-state variation is therefore understated here. The two medians also come from different vehicle populations — every 2026 gasoline record against every 2026 EV record — so this is a market-wide comparison, not a like-for-like one. To compare two specific cars, use Compare.
Biggest monthly gap (EV advantage)
- Nevada$162.53/mo
- Arizona$156.88/mo
- Washington$155.23/mo
- Oregon$153.28/mo
- Idaho$131.96/mo
Smallest monthly gap
- Hawaii$29.56/mo
- Rhode Island$75.14/mo
- New York$76.43/mo
- Massachusetts$76.74/mo
- Maine$78.02/mo
All 51 states
| State | Median gas /mo | Median EV /mo | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $209.62 | $47.09 | $162.53 |
| Arizona | $209.62 | $52.74 | $156.88 |
| Washington | $207.00 | $51.77 | $155.23 |
| Oregon | $209.62 | $56.34 | $153.28 |
| Idaho | $174.72 | $42.76 | $131.96 |
| Utah | $174.72 | $44.88 | $129.84 |
| Montana | $174.72 | $50.80 | $123.92 |
| Wyoming | $174.72 | $51.25 | $123.47 |
| Oklahoma | $169.37 | $46.33 | $123.04 |
| Nebraska | $169.37 | $47.06 | $122.31 |
| North Dakota | $169.37 | $47.13 | $122.24 |
| Missouri | $169.37 | $47.37 | $122.00 |
| Iowa | $169.37 | $48.96 | $120.41 |
| Florida | $171.85 | $52.53 | $119.32 |
| Tennessee | $169.37 | $50.10 | $119.27 |
| North Carolina | $169.87 | $52.25 | $117.62 |
| Kentucky | $169.37 | $51.87 | $117.50 |
| Kansas | $169.37 | $52.39 | $116.98 |
| Colorado | $172.29 | $55.96 | $116.33 |
| Georgia | $169.87 | $54.85 | $115.02 |
| South Dakota | $169.37 | $54.47 | $114.90 |
| Delaware | $181.00 | $67.11 | $113.89 |
| South Carolina | $169.87 | $56.02 | $113.85 |
| New Mexico | $161.53 | $48.89 | $112.64 |
| Louisiana | $161.53 | $49.00 | $112.53 |
| Minnesota | $170.57 | $58.69 | $111.88 |
| Alaska | $209.62 | $97.75 | $111.87 |
| Arkansas | $161.53 | $49.72 | $111.81 |
| West Virginia | $169.87 | $58.17 | $111.70 |
| Virginia | $169.87 | $60.98 | $108.89 |
| Indiana | $169.37 | $62.85 | $106.52 |
| Pennsylvania | $181.00 | $74.62 | $106.38 |
| Maryland | $181.00 | $75.38 | $105.62 |
| Mississippi | $161.53 | $55.96 | $105.57 |
| Texas | $161.34 | $56.93 | $104.41 |
| Alabama | $161.53 | $58.07 | $103.46 |
| Ohio | $170.57 | $67.59 | $102.98 |
| Wisconsin | $169.37 | $68.35 | $101.02 |
| California | $215.75 | $115.13 | $100.62 |
| New Jersey | $181.00 | $80.57 | $100.43 |
| Michigan | $169.37 | $76.21 | $93.16 |
| District of Columbia | $181.00 | $87.95 | $93.05 |
| Vermont | $177.15 | $86.18 | $90.97 |
| Illinois | $169.37 | $82.58 | $86.79 |
| New Hampshire | $177.15 | $94.63 | $82.52 |
| Connecticut | $177.15 | $94.77 | $82.38 |
| Maine | $177.15 | $99.13 | $78.02 |
| Massachusetts | $176.53 | $99.79 | $76.74 |
| New York | $180.07 | $103.64 | $76.43 |
| Rhode Island | $177.15 | $102.01 | $75.14 |
| Hawaii | $209.62 | $180.06 | $29.56 |
The extremes, per mile
Cheapest 2026 vehicles per mile
- 2026 Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD Electric4.7¢/mi
- 2026 Tesla Model 3 Premium AWD Electric4.9¢/mi
- 2026 Lucid Air G Touring XR AWD with19 inch wheels Electric4.9¢/mi
- 2026 Lexus ES 350e (19 inch Wheels) Electric4.9¢/mi
- 2026 Tesla Model S Electric5.0¢/mi
Most expensive 2026 vehicles per mile
- 2026 Cadillac Escalade V AWD Gasoline37.9¢/mi
- 2026 Cadillac Escalade 4WD Gasoline31.9¢/mi
- 2026 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV Hybrid29.9¢/mi
- 2026 GMC Yukon XL 2WD Gasoline29.9¢/mi
- 2026 GMC Yukon 2WD Gasoline29.3¢/mi
Reuse these numbers freely with attribution and a link — see /developers. Different assumptions produce different numbers; every figure links into a calculator where you can change them.