Man who’s owned Tesla Model Y for three years after switching from gas now breaks down whether the move has been worth it financially

A man who has owned a Tesla Model Y for over three years has opened up about whether the move from gas to electric has been worth it financially.

Chris, the host of YouTube channel Everyday Chris, was mainly motivated to make the change to save money on gas.

Having logged over 65,000 miles on his Model Y, it’s safe to say that Chris has had good use out of his car.

But has it been a money saver like he’d hoped – or have unexpected costs soured any chance of savings?

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The costs that come along with making the switch to a Tesla Model Y

When it comes from transitioning to EVs, owners will frequently cite expenses as a factor in their decision.

Various EV owners have spoken out about the savings they’ve made, whether they own a Ford Mustang Mach-E, a Kia EV9 , or a Tesla Model 3.

But is everybody a satisfied customer?

Chris wanted to take a deep dive into the costs that come with owning a Tesla Model Y.

He noted that EVs do cost like their initial purchase price, thanks to a $7,500 federal tax credit.

But how about registration fees?

As a California resident, Chris paid $300 to register each of his gas cars, but shelled out $727 for his Model Y.

And that’s cheap compared to his Model X, which had a fee of $1,098.

He said: “I thought that was the end of the Tesla surprises. But when I opened up my mail, I was shocked.

“But the registration for the Cybertruck cost us $1,276.”

Ouch.

Insurance doesn’t come cheap either, with Chris paying $2,500.

And – you guessed it – those prices only got steeper with his X and Cybertruck.

Whilst speaking to a representative for an insurance company, Chris discovered that they considered Tesla a ‘super luxury brand.’

Chris admitted that this categorization made sense as some parts were harder to source.

How about maintenance and charging costs?

Chris acknowledged maintenance costs were a ‘biggie’ and confessed that he hated going to the car dealership.

He said: “Even for service, their goal at the end of the day is to make money.

“Stealerships!”

Chris identified air filters and window washer fluids as the biggest expense for maintenance.

Chris summarized: “In the three, almost four, years of owning my Tesla, I paid about $50 for maintenance.”

What about the charging costs, often touted as the reason to switch to electric?

Chris said: “For my wife, she commutes to work.

“So far this year, we’ve driven around 1,900 miles. Home charging costs around $1,030 a year for 14,000 miles.”

Chris acknowledged that many things factored into charging costs – whether somebody was using a public charger during on-peak hours, or at home using solar energy.

But he concluded it was still a far cheaper alternative to gas, particularly in a state like California.

In conclusion, Chris estimated he’d spent $18,360 in total.

Besides registration and insurance, tires had proven to be the costliest at $1,400.

Chris said: “The convenience and time [a Tesla] saves outweighs the unexpected costs.”

To see Chris’ round-up for yourself, head over to Everyday Chris’ YouTube channel.

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