Electric vs Gas Car: Which is Cheaper for Long Distance Travel in 2026?
By David Moreira ·
Updated
The cheaper road trip depends on consumption and the prices you actually pay. Start with energy cost, then consider stops, route coverage and vehicle suitability. The figures below are hypothetical inputs, not current tariffs or claims about a particular model.
A reproducible trip-cost example
Use the Trip Cost Calculator in metric mode with its default assumptions: 100 km, gas consumption 7.5 L/100 km, fuel price 1.60 per litre, EV consumption 17 kWh/100 km, home electricity 0.16 per kWh, public electricity 0.35 per kWh, 70% home charging and a 10% charging-loss allowance. Use one currency consistently for every price.
Gas: 7.5 × 1.60 = 12.00. EV wall energy: 17 × 1.10 = 18.7 kWh. Blended electricity: 0.70 × 0.16 + 0.30 × 0.35 = 0.217 per kWh. EV energy cost: 18.7 × 0.217 = 4.06, rounded at the end.
For a hypothetical 500 km journey with the same consumption and mix, the results scale to 60.00 for gas and 20.29 for electricity. A 70% home share may fit a trip starting with a home-charged battery; it is not an assumption that every motorway stop offers home prices.
Test the public-charging case
Set home share to zero and keep public electricity at 0.35: 18.7 × 0.35 = 6.55 per 100 km, or 32.73 over 500 km. Replace that price with your operator’s tariff, including applicable session, parking and subscription charges. The calculator’s energy-only result excludes those extra fees, tolls, accommodation and the value of travel time.
Charging efficiency, weather, speed and luggage change consumption. Use vehicle-specific source assumptions from the EV charging cost directory, then check charger access on your route. A time-saving claim needs an actual route and stop schedule; no universal stop-time saving is assumed here.
Energy cost is only one part of ownership
The US Department of Energy’s maintenance guidance explains why battery-electric vehicles have different maintenance needs. It does not establish a particular trip price or repair bill. Compare wider costs with the TCO calculator.