Kentucky man reveals shocking cost difference charging Tesla Model 3 vs. fueling BMW 3 Series after 75,000 miles
Published on Jul 15, 2025 at 7:08 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:16 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This Kentucky man revealed the shocking cost difference between charging a Tesla Model 3 and fueling a BMW 3 Series after 75,000 miles.
Andy Slye had owned his Model 3 for several years, having originally bought it for $50,000.
In light of news that this car was now selling cheaper than other cars, Slye decided to do an estimate on overall costs.
When compared to a BMW 3 Series, which one would come as the more frugal investment?
EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie
Comparing the costs of a Tesla Model 3 and a BMW 3 Series
A car is a big investment, and it’s not just the price you pay in the dealership that counts.
You have to take a lot into account in the years after purchase, such as maintenance costs, insurance, and fueling the car.
In fact, fueling the car is perhaps the expense that needs to be taken into account.

Think about how many people have made the switch from gas to electric, assuming that the latter would be cheaper.
With all that in mind, how much Slye ultimately spend in charging his Tesla Model 3 75,000 miles?
Over the 75,368 miles driven, the Model 3 consumed 18,656kWh of electricity.


When accounting for any electricity lost during charging or idling, that’d come out at 20,728kWh.
After calculating the per-kWh charge in his town and adding the supercharging cost, the total came out to be $1,404.
Which isn’t so bad when you think about it.
But how would that compare to a 2018 BMW 320i?
This gas-powered BMW 3 Series car would have cost him $9,353 in fuel over the same amount of miles.

So that’s $8,000 in savings.
You can’t argue with that.
Making the switch from gas to electric to save money is a common tactic
An AAA study found that the leading motivation for Americans to buy electric cars is to ‘save on gas’.
And with EV owners sharing their savings online, it’s a trend that’s going to continue further.

Andy Slye has been giving regular updates on the Tesla Model 3’s cost, including at the five year and six year mark.
To see the breakdown of his charging costs, visit his YouTube channel.
Click the star icon next to supercarblondie.com in Google Search to stay ahead of the curve on the latest and greatest supercars, hypercars, and ground-breaking technology.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie