Husband and wife race Tesla Model Y vs. Lexus across California to see whether an electric or a gas car performs better on road trip, they make a surprising discovery
- In a road trip across Cali, a Tesla Model Y came up against a Lexus
- It was a true EV vs Gas race, where pit stops would be considered
- With thanks from some fluffy helpers, the finish was shocking
Published on Feb 03, 2025 at 12:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Jack Marsh
Last updated on Jan 31, 2025 at 8:20 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This Husband and wife raced through California, pitting a Tesla Model Y against a Lexus to compare electric and gas car performance on a road trip.
It’s becoming quite a secure hypothesis that the electric car industry is saving road users money with every trip.
But with charging times and limited stations available, is it really as practical to own an EV as we’re led to believe?
Well, this Telsa Model Y versus Lexus race across California concluded with a surprising discovery.
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Tesla Model Y EV versus Lexus gas in California performance test
The Tesla Model Y is often used as a benchmark for all EVs and has previously gone toe-to-toe with legendary supercars to test its speed and performance.
This time, the Model Y is going up against a 2016 Lexus RX 350 in a state-wide race through California.
The YouTuber Everyday Chris and his wife Everday Jan took both cars on a timed trip across the state, bringing a dog each to make sure each pit stop was fair.
Every fuel/charging stop would see the cute Pomeranian Obi (in the Lexus) and golden lab Mr Peanutbutter (in the Tesla) go for a pee.
So, who would win?
Well, the Lexus made just one stop on the trip and pulled up at the finish line five hours and 38 minutes later with half a tank left.
The Tesla Model Y didn’t arrive for another 42 minutes.
The pitstop to charge the car was roughly 50 minutes, in comparison to the gas refuel and Obi’s wee time, which was just ten minutes.
It is often assumed that EVs would be slower, as charging is a longer process than pumping gas.
However, the savings certainly didn’t marry up with the wait time.
The Lexus cost $45.71 to fill up (pulling in with half a tank, too), whereas the Tesla’s charging was only slightly lower at $37.
While everyday usage has EVs far and beyond gas cars in terms of running costs, road trips appear to still be the domain of petrol-sucking engines.
