Is it really cheaper to drive a Tesla?
Allen Turner l 3 MINUTE READ
Is it really cheaper to drive a Tesla?
Electric vehicles (EVs) can be charged from solar panels at your home.
Recent technological advancements have made electric vehicles more affordable than ever. How affordable though? Is it really cheaper to "charge up" than to fuel-up?
How much does it cost to charge a Tesla?
To calculate the cost to fully charge an electric vehicle, simply multiply the cost per kilowatt-hour with the battery’s maximum capacity. For example, if you have a Tesla model 3 with an 82-kWh capacity and the average price per kilowatt is 13.19 cents, the total price to charge your car would be $10.82. Price per kW varies state to state and battery capacity varies between make and model of the electric vehicle. The Tesla model 3 can get up to 310 miles per charge which equals about $0.03 a mile.
How much does it cost to fuel a non-electric vehicle?
The Mitsubishi Mirage is one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the road tops out at 43mpg (highway) and has a 9.2-gallon tank. With the average price of gas being roughly $3.46 per gallon it would cost $31.83 to fill up the vehicle. This car can get about 395.6 miles per tank which equals about $0.08 per mile.
A Tesla will save about $.05 cents a mile or $2.15 a gallon compared to a Mitsubishi Mirage, one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the road.
Imagine getting $2.15 off per gallon of gas every time you fueled up! According to the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, the average American drives 13,476 miles a year. That means the average American would save over $700 a year in fuel costs to drive a Tesla!
Tesla and other EVs don't fill out with gasoline so if you purchase one you'll need to find a charging station. If you’re not sure where to go to recharge your electric vehicle and you're in North America, you can use this link to an alternative fueling station locator.
Alternative fueling station locator
Depending whether you charge at retail charging station or at home- you can expect to spend anywhere from $10-15 "fuel-up" your Tesla.
If you have a electric vehicle and are thinking about going solar, check our other blog to see exactly much you might save by charging your EV at home with solar energy.