US man drives Tesla Model 3 117,000 miles and has a staggering brainwave when he breaks down fuel savings
Published on Jun 11, 2026 at 3:21 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jun 11, 2026 at 3:22 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
When this American man broke down the fuel savings he’d accumulated driving his Tesla Model 3, he was stunned.
Austin Ammarell shared his findings in the Mileage Impossible Facebook group.
He’d driven 117,000 miles in his Model 3, and once he figured out how much money he’d saved over driving a gas car, he was floored.
And this led him to a realization.
This Tesla Model 3 had racked up 117,000 miles
He bought the car second-hand so it was only $17,000.
All in all, the Model 3 had 217,681 miles on the clock, which includes what it had previously racked up with the former owner.
This led Austin to do some number-crunching, leading him to figure out that the fuel savings essentially meant the car had paid for itself.
For depreciation it was $7k over 117,000 miles, which was the equivalent of 6 cents per mile.
The tires were 1.2 cents per mile, and cost $1,200 to install.
Repairs were approximately 0.3 cents per mile.
How much money had he saved compared to a gas car?
In total, Austin estimated he had paid around 10 cents per mile while owning the Tesla Model 3.
Compared to his previous pickup truck, which cost him 20.6 cents/mile at $3 per gallon.
Based on the fuel costs of his old gas car, Austin calculated that switching to the Model 3 had saved him around $20,706 in fuel alone.
You don’t need to be a math whizz to know that $20,706 was a bigger number than $17,000.
Ka-ching.
It’s savings galore for EV owners
Austin isn’t alone – plenty of EV drivers have noticed savings since switching to electric cars.
Another Tesla owner went into detail about the savings he’d made after 238,000 miles.
And it’s not just anecdotal evidence either – one study has put the cost differences out there plainly.
But as time has gone by, has the ‘EV advantage’ eroded?
One man ran the numbers to get to the bottom of that question.
Let’s face it, if you’re going to make a big switch to EVs, you’d only do so if it was going to save you money.
Ultimately, every driver needs to do their research before making any big decisions.
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
