Gasoline price vs electricity price

[Snagglefoot]

One of the important aspects of EV economics is the gasoline price vs the electricity price where the EV is operated. To make EV’s palatable, you want a place that has a very high gasoline price but a relatively low electricity price. For instance, California has a very high gasoline price at say $5 per gallon but also has a high electricity price at $0.30 per KWhr.

I wonder what State has the best ratio of high gasoline price per gallon but a low electricity price per kWhr. We could divide one by the other and look for the highest number. For instance, California would be 5/.30 = 16.7. What States can beat this? ( This is just for fun ).

 

[alarmguy]

Actually you also have to take into account the price of the vehicle and insurance that is equal in size to each technology. ICE and EV
In most all cases the EV loses.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Here's my calculation for my area in Kansas: 2.73/.147 = 18.57.

 

[JeffKeryk]

One of the important aspects of EV economics is the gasoline price vs the electricity price where the EV is operated. To make EV’s palatable, you want a place that has a very high gasoline price but a relatively low electricity price. For instance, California has a very high gasoline price at say $5 per gallon but also has a high electricity price at $0.30 per KWhr.

I wonder what State has the best ratio of high gasoline price per gallon but a low electricity price per kWhr. We could divide one by the other and look for the highest number. For instance, California would be 5/.30 = 16.7. What States can beat this? ( This is just for fun ).

I took it a level higher; I installed solar after a 5 year research period. Our CA energy costs are insane; solar was a long term hedge against the ever rising electricity bills. I bought more production than was recommended figuring I might get an EV one day and I did not want to invest all that $$ and still have a bill.

Sometimes you get lucky.

 

[supton]

I think in NH my electricity is around 25c/kWhr (not including any base/fixed charges). Just got gas at $3.339/gallon so a ratio of 13.356.

I think EV's get around 3mile/kWhr? if I guesstimate my Corolla at 38mpg that's about the same cost per mile for energy. [Yes that's a big rounding, I'm guessing an EV Hummer doesn't get 3 miles per kWhr while some models can beat that. Waving hands, for New Hampster one just needs to get 40mpg or better to beat EV on a cost per mile basis?]

 

[thastinger]

Eastern VA, 87 Octane is 2.96 and electricity with all taxes/fees/saving the environment surcharges is 13.8 cents per kWh

 

[DwightFrye]

Hard to come up with a number. While California electricity rates are outrageous, they have been fairly stable. On the other hand, the price of gas can vary considerably over a short period of time. For example in my mountain town 91 octane was $6.89 just a couple of weeks ago. But when I drive down to a nearby city I can buy the same octane for as much as $0.90 per gallon less if I shop around.
And inexplicably, that same 91 octane dropped to $5.99 a gallon up here in the last 10 days or so.

Also, individual electricity consumption can vary depending upon things like if your home is a newer energy efficient design or one built in the 1970's and of the same square footage and without upgrades in appliances, insulation, etc.

 

[MNgopher]

Currently $3.26 avg for 87 E10, 12.65 cents per kWh for 9 months of the year. (14.04 cents per kWh in June, July, August).

FWIW, I do the calcs comparing between my two vehicles. My 2.7 Ecoboost F150 against my plug in Hybrid Ford Fusion Energi. On average, the truck costs 3.5 to 4 times as much per mile to drive - including the all in cost of electricity plus gas on the plug in. There is a reason the plug in hybrid is my commuter car... The higher the gas price, the better the numbers look.

 

[oil pan 4]

In new Mexico my electricity base rate is 8 cents a kwh and add the surcharge it's usually less than 12 cents per kwh.
My leaf costs about 2 cents a mile for electricity and I never use fast charging, my car probably couldn't reach the nearest single chademo charger and if I could reach it, no guarantee it works.

 

[alarmguy]

As of today -11-13-23, gas can easily be purchased at any number of stations for less than $2.80 a gallon (regular)
and less than $3.50 a gallon (premium) with mid grade in-between the two.
That is in the land of the free SC. on the NC side slightly more

Full disclosure my favorite Shell has taken a jump from $2.80 up to $3.10 for Reg and $3.89 premium. Not sure exactly what they do there but they change prices up and down all the time, this is a high for them right now but then in 3 days I can see it 40 cents less, weird.
My electricity here is stupid cheap too. I take the total of the entire electric bill which includes ALL TAXES< FEES
I wish everyone in here would do the same as it make comparisons more easy.

 

[supton]

I take the total of the entire electric bill which includes ALL TAXES< FEES

Not sure I agree--if you have a low usage month, it'll make your kWhr look higher than if you had a month when you pegged the meter (high a/c usage, or electric heat, or whatever). If it's only a couple cents either way, no big deal, but it's not quite the proper story. Makes it too hard to compare if you simplify the numbers too much.

 

[Number_35]

Here's my calculation for my area in Kansas: 2.73/.147 = 18.57.

I like your idea of a gasoline-to-electricity ratio. Here's mine:

6.00/0.10 = 60
(C$, but since it's a ratio there's no point in doing a $ conversion.)

My conversion to US gallons is approximate, but the result will be close - I rounded down our price per litre and rounded up the number of litres in a US gallon.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Hard to come up with a number. While California electricity rates are outrageous, they have been fairly stable. On the other hand, the price of gas can vary considerably over a short period of time. For example in my mountain town 91 octane was $6.89 just a couple of weeks ago. But when I drive down to a nearby city I can buy the same octane for as much as $0.90 per gallon less if I shop around.
And inexplicably, that same 91 octane dropped to $5.99 a gallon up here in the last 10 days or so.

Also, individual electricity consumption can vary depending upon things like if your home is a newer energy efficient design or one built in the 1970's and of the same square footage and without upgrades in appliances, insulation, etc.

Yup, but to simplify things you can just use the price from your favorite gas station on a particular day vs the all-in cost per kWhr to come up with a ratio.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Not sure I agree--if you have a low usage month, it'll make your kWhr look higher than if you had a month when you pegged the meter (high a/c usage, or electric heat, or whatever). If it's only a couple cents either way, no big deal, but it's not quite the proper story. Makes it too hard to compare if you simplify the numbers too much.

Really, you can leave out all the charges that don't change with amount consumed if you want, as folks will be paying that regardless.

 

[OVERKILL]

Gas is $1.356 for regular (per litre) which is $5.13/gallon. My electricity bill is $0.138/kWh all-in (all taxes, fees, delivery...etc)

$5.13/$0.138=37.17

 

[PandaBear]

I think we are at 40c/kwh these days but if you use TOU plan you can get sometimes at 26kwh and sometimes at 46kwh.

Biggest cost of EV is actually the battery depreciation / range reduction over time not miles. For most people they don't drive enough to save with an EV or drive too much that an EV won't work for them. I think 20-30k a year would be a sweet spot of using an EV but below that a gas car might be better and above that a hybrid would definitely work better.

 

[alarmguy]

Not sure I agree--if you have a low usage month, it'll make your kWhr look higher than if you had a month when you pegged the meter (high a/c usage, or electric heat, or whatever). If it's only a couple cents either way, no big deal, but it's not quite the proper story. Makes it too hard to compare if you simplify the numbers too much.

I dont disagree but that is part of the problem. You can have a cheap kWh rate but expensive "distribution" and other charges. So how can we know what someone pays to power their home and charge their car if the other charges and taxes are not added in? They are adding in with the cost of gasoline.

With that said, good point to you, so ... why cant everyone post their actual kWh cost, kWh used AND ACTUAL payment, that would help everyone to understand the true cost of power in these forums. So yeah, this is a better solution, give your cost per kWh and actual payment.
There isnt any other way to compare cost without knowing the total cost of power delivered to ones home.

Below is my current bill, my actual cost per kWh goes way up this time of year because the "Base" charge doesnt change even though I only pay 10 cents a kWh year round. In the summer I use another 400 kWh of electricity the base charge stays the same and that brings down my total kWh cost for power.

So total actual payment for power this month cost me 18 cents a kWh

Total actual payment during the higher summer use cost me 15 cents kWh

This is the only way to know what power cost us across the country. Post the kWh used, kWh rate AND what you actually pay.
This allows everyone to compare their own bills. It's the only way because taxes, costs, distribution fees and another other crazy fee does figure into what people actually pay. As an example, One utility can keep kWh low but charge for delivering it to your home, never mind a mind boggling list that some others pay so that artificially lowers the kWh representation.

What you pay in actual payment IS your cost for electricity no matter what the kWh rate its. Again, good point and in past posts I have posted my bills because of this but very few do. So those who cant, just three things

1. kWh's used
2. Charge per kWh (if possible)
3. Actual payment

#'s 1 & 3 are essential because quite frankly that is what your electric cost you to power your home regardless of the stated kWh rate.

 

[Astro_Guy]

One of the important aspects of EV economics is the gasoline price vs the electricity price where the EV is operated. To make EV’s palatable, you want a place that has a very high gasoline price but a relatively low electricity price. For instance, California has a very high gasoline price at say $5 per gallon but also has a high electricity price at $0.30 per KWhr.

I wonder what State has the best ratio of high gasoline price per gallon but a low electricity price per kWhr. We could divide one by the other and look for the highest number. For instance, California would be 5/.30 = 16.7. What States can beat this? ( This is just for fun ).

For me the math with E10 works out to 3.55/0.18 = 19.7 but I actually chose to run 89 to 91 Octane E0 which tilts reult ever further in favor of electricity. My PHEV has gone four months on a tank of gas and I don't think leaving in filled with E10 for that length of time would be the best idea. The Ethanol would be attracting water vapor the entire time.

 

[alarmguy]

Gas is $1.356 for regular (per litre) which is $5.13/gallon. My electricity bill is $0.138/kWh all-in (all taxes, fees, delivery...etc)

$5.13/$0.138=37.17

YIKES on the gas! Good news on the electric! I posted my two bills above.

 

[ecotourist]

Gas is $1.356 for regular (per litre) which is $5.13/gallon. My electricity bill is $0.138/kWh all-in (all taxes, fees, delivery...etc)

$5.13/$0.138=37.17

Are those Imperial or US Gallons?

My local price for regular is $1.899 Cdn/liter which is $5.21 US/US gallon.
My price for electricity varies by the amount used. On our latest bill we paid 12.1 Cents Cdn/KWhr (all-in price) which is 8.76 Cents US.
So our ratio is 5.21/8.76=59.5 which is pretty close to the estimate by @Number_35 for Winnipeg