Shocking study finds EVs cost more to fuel than gas cars in late 2022 — here are 3 easy ways to save cash no matter what you drive

There's certainly a lot of reasons why drivers are opting for electric vehicles (EVs). Money is one of the biggest.

While EVs can be pricey up front compared to their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts, they have the potential to save you money in the long run with lower operating costs.

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A Consumer Reports (CR) survey published in March shows a 350% increase in consumer demand for battery electric vehicles from 2020 to 2022, with demand expected to continue to skyrocket.

In fact, another Consumer Reports analysis from 2022 showed the average EV owner could save between $1,800 and $2,600 in operating and maintenance costs alone for every 15,000 miles they drive, which is apparently the average distance newer cars in the U.S. are driven each year, compared to the costs of their gas-powered counterparts.

And don't forget about the tax credits and rebates that are available that can help lessen the sticker shock when buying an EV.

“We are also seeing some automakers, such as Tesla, slash prices so that their EVs can qualify for the IRA incentives,” Quinta Warren, CR’s associate director of sustainability policy, said in February.

But while EV drivers don’t need to stop at the gas station, they do have to pay for costs associated with charging up, such as electricity — and that’s not so cheap these days.

High electricity prices — combined with softer gas prices — made EVs more expensive to fuel than gas-powered cars at the end of 2022, according to a report published in January by the Anderson Economic Group.

“In Q4 2022, typical mid-priced ICE car drivers paid about $11.29 to fuel their vehicles for 100 miles of driving,” the report says. “That cost was around $0.31 cheaper than the amount paid by mid-priced EV drivers charging mostly at home, and over $3 less than the cost borne by comparable EV drivers charging commercially.”

Of course, that doesn’t exactly mean gas-powered cars are cheap to run. The national average price for gas in the was about $3.56 a gallon as of May 5, according to motoring and leisure travel giant AAA.

Here’s a look at three ways to save money on car ownership — no matter what type of vehicle you drive.

Read more: Here's how much money the average middle-class American household makes — how do you stack up?

Don’t drive aggressively

In the U.S., gas-powered cars come with EPA fuel ratings for city, highway and combined driving.

But those numbers are based on results from EPA’s fuel-economy tests, so depending on how you drive, the mileage you get could be different.

According to the Department of Energy, aggressive driving — defined as speeding, rapid acceleration and braking — can lower gas mileage by 15% to 30% at highway speeds. For stop-and-go traffic, it can lower gas mileage by 10% to 40%.