Man breaks down the charging costs of his Tesla Model 3 after 50K miles and reveals the savings compared to what he would have spent on a gas car

While a lot of EV drivers have shared their costs of driving electric after switching from an ICE engine, this US-based Tesla Model 3 driver has really done the math on charging costs.

As well as running the figures on gas versus electric for fuel, he also calculated the difference in maintenance and insurance.

It certainly makes for some interesting reading on the Long Range that has hit 50,000 miles in just over two years.

But which came out top?

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Tesla Model 3 charging costs

Charging costs for the Tesla Model 3 translate to $2,840 to go a little over 52,000 miles from 2022 to 2024.

It ‘may or may not sound like a lot’.

“Let’s see what it would have cost us if we were in a gas car,” shares JoJo of the Vegas Tesla Family, who share their literal and metaphorical journey with the EV brand.

He calculates – using average gas prices in Nevada – that over the same period, a gas car would have cost a total of $7,296.

That comes to a saving of $4,469, which is ‘a pretty good chunk of change’.

Similarly, another EV driver conducted a 31-day experiment to prove that charging a Tesla Cybertruck costs way less than you think.

EV drivers love to talk about their impressive savings on fuel.

This isn’t the first time the entire cost of a Tesla Model 3 has been totted up.

Maintenance costs

“Spoiler alert: this will be a short section because I have not done much to my car,” JoJo confesses.

The only maintenance to note is fitting air filters (which he installed himself), putting air in the tires, three tire rotations, and filling the washer fluid tank, costing him $158.

Obviously, the exact costs for the same maintenance on a gas car aren’t readily available – so the Tesla devotee used ChatGPT’s data.

Maintenance on a gas car was estimated to cost between $1,920 and $4,600.

JoJo estimates gas car maintenance costs r the same 52,000-mile range from $1,920 to $4,600, based on ChatGPT’s data.

Whichever figure you select from that broad range – it’s a lot more than the $158 on his Tesla.

Insurance costs

JoJo doesn’t personally recommend Tesla insurance, stating that it’s ‘impossible’ to get anyone on the phone when you need them.

Having said that they are the cheapest due to a ‘safety score’ based on your driving habits in the vehicle, which results in your personal rate.

This does go up or down several dollars per month but does offer ‘pretty decent insurance coverage and much more than the minimum’.

For October, for example, he paid $93.79, which compares to a ChatGPT average of $150/month for a gas car.

In other words? A saving of $1,349 over two years.

Total Tesla Model 3 saving

In summary, his total cost comes to $5,428.96.

That compares to an estimated saving of $7,998.04.

“It’s quite a chunk of change,” he concludes.

It most certainly is.