EV pros and cons, honestly
What gets better and what gets harder — each with its source.
Pros
- Much cheaper to fuel at home: ~$725 vs ~$1,792 a year for a 30-mpg gas car
- About half the repair and maintenance cost per mile (Consumer Reports, 2020)
- No oil changes, and brakes wear slowly
- Refuel at home overnight — no gas station trips
Cons
- Public-only charging costs close to gas: ~$1,663 a year
- Range drops in the cold: the average EV keeps 70–78% at 20–32°F
- Insurance costs ~18% more for 2024-and-newer EVs (Insurify, June 2026)
- Faster depreciation so far: 57.2% vs 41.8% over five years for cars bought new ~2021 (iSeeCars 2026 study)
Fuel figures: 12,000 mi a year at US averages — home 18.31¢/kWh (EIA, Jul 2026), public 42¢/kWh and gas $4.48 (AAA, Sep 24, 2026).
The deciding factor for most people
Whether you can charge where you park. The quiz starts there.