Doing some rough math, with current gas prices (~$5.90 in CA), 35k miles per year, assuming only highway miles at ~18mpg, and including the cost of regular maintenance (excluding tires which EVs need too); on the low-end, assuming you’re driving the 4.2L, you’re spending ~$11,000 (±$2,000) every year.
An EV, by comparison, assuming an off-peak rate of $0.25/kWh (I pay ~$0.11, but after all the BS line items, it’s closer to a 22 cents), and a 4 mile/kWh efficiency; you’d be paying ~$2,150 total per year.
You could theoretically save ~$8,000 (± $2,000) per year driving an electric. Sure, the cost of an engine is ~$3.5k, but that’s in addition to the $11,000 you’re already paying every year. Compared to an EV, in just 3 years you’d save enough money to cover the price of a $20k battery (if we assume worst-case pricing), which are generally expected to last 15-20 years. Even if we cut that in half, you’re still saving more with an EV in the long-run.
GRANTED there are other issues/concerns with driving an EV, like charge rate, planning trips (infra. still needs to catch up), people who don’t have a place to charge at home, etc.
Believe it or not, not everybody lives in California. I live in Texas and bought gas here yesterday. Using that price at 35k you’re looking at like 6500 a year.
And maintenance on an ICE is super cheap if you just change the fucking oil. There’s a reason I have 565,000 miles on a single engine that still runs great. I spend about $200 a year on oil change supplies (changing oil is supe4 easy and you should neve4 pay someone to do it), and maybe another 50-100 for things like air filters. I buy used tires (shop I use buys tires from other tires shops when someone upgrades tires on new vehicles) every 2 years or so for about $200 for a full set. Other incidental maintenance like spark plugs, brake pads and AC compressors come along, but I’m still averaging around $500/year on maintenance because maintenance is cheap and easy to do yourself.
So all in I’m around 6k a year in running costs.
Oh - and I’m not spending another 7 or 8 grand a year on a car note on a car I can’t service myself.
If you adjust the $11k based on the cost of living index, my estimate falls in line with your 6,500/year for Texas. The index in California is 149.9 vs Texas at 92.1, which is ~61.44% less:
($11,000 original estimate) * (0.6144 % difference) = $6,700 per year in gas.
If we adjust the price of electricity using the cost of living index it also drops down to ~$1,320/year to drive an EV. Even adjusting for Texas you’re still down ~$4,700 year over year. In 5 years of driving a comparable EV, you’d have saved over 20k.
And maintenance on an ICE is super cheap if you just change the fucking oil.
100% agree. Its cheap, but not free, unless your time has no value.
Doing some rough math, with current gas prices (~$5.90 in CA), 35k miles per year, assuming only highway miles at ~18mpg, and including the cost of regular maintenance (excluding tires which EVs need too); on the low-end, assuming you’re driving the 4.2L, you’re spending ~$11,000 (±$2,000) every year.
An EV, by comparison, assuming an off-peak rate of $0.25/kWh (I pay ~$0.11, but after all the BS line items, it’s closer to a 22 cents), and a 4 mile/kWh efficiency; you’d be paying ~$2,150 total per year.
You could theoretically save ~$8,000 (± $2,000) per year driving an electric. Sure, the cost of an engine is ~$3.5k, but that’s in addition to the $11,000 you’re already paying every year. Compared to an EV, in just 3 years you’d save enough money to cover the price of a $20k battery (if we assume worst-case pricing), which are generally expected to last 15-20 years. Even if we cut that in half, you’re still saving more with an EV in the long-run.
GRANTED there are other issues/concerns with driving an EV, like charge rate, planning trips (infra. still needs to catch up), people who don’t have a place to charge at home, etc.
11 grand a year is crazy numbers.
Believe it or not, not everybody lives in California. I live in Texas and bought gas here yesterday. Using that price at 35k you’re looking at like 6500 a year.
And maintenance on an ICE is super cheap if you just change the fucking oil. There’s a reason I have 565,000 miles on a single engine that still runs great. I spend about $200 a year on oil change supplies (changing oil is supe4 easy and you should neve4 pay someone to do it), and maybe another 50-100 for things like air filters. I buy used tires (shop I use buys tires from other tires shops when someone upgrades tires on new vehicles) every 2 years or so for about $200 for a full set. Other incidental maintenance like spark plugs, brake pads and AC compressors come along, but I’m still averaging around $500/year on maintenance because maintenance is cheap and easy to do yourself.
So all in I’m around 6k a year in running costs.
Oh - and I’m not spending another 7 or 8 grand a year on a car note on a car I can’t service myself.
And apparently crazy accurate!
If you adjust the $11k based on the cost of living index, my estimate falls in line with your 6,500/year for Texas. The index in California is 149.9 vs Texas at 92.1, which is ~61.44% less:
(
$11,000original estimate) * (0.6144% difference) =$6,700per year in gas.If we adjust the price of electricity using the cost of living index it also drops down to ~$1,320/year to drive an EV. Even adjusting for Texas you’re still down ~$4,700 year over year. In 5 years of driving a comparable EV, you’d have saved over 20k.
100% agree. Its cheap, but not free, unless your time has no value.