No one’s arguing that electric vehicles (EVs) are more expensive to “fuel” than regular internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, but with EVs beyond the price range of many American drivers, it’s always a good exercise to compare two vehicles in regard to how much they cost in charging versus filling up every month.
If you are looking at a Mercedes-Benz S-Class and a Tesla Model S, here is the charge versus gas price breakdown you need to know.
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Charging a Tesla Model S
According to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data, the average U.S. driver logs 13,476 road miles per year or 1,123 per month. The Tesla Model S Long Range all-wheel drive with 19-inch wheels’ energy consumption is estimated at 122 MPGe or about 276 watt-hours per mile (3.6 miles per kWh), according to InsideEVs.
AAA lists average national and state daily average per kilowatt hour cost for all commercial and public charging (Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3/DC Fast Charging). As of Jan. 7, West Virginia has the highest cost per kWh at $0.523 and Kansas the lowest at $0.262.
However, a main reason for buying an EV is saving money and you’ll save a lot more by charging your Model S at home. According to Tesla’s Charging Calculator, you could be spending only $50.53 per month in charging a Model S, which is a gas savings of $140.31.
Electricity rates vary wildly across the U.S. The average electricity rate in the U.S. is 17.98 cents per kWh, according to the EnergyBot tracker, which makes your monthly Model S charging costs approximately $42. In Louisiana, you’ll pay around $39 per month. In Hawaii, you’ll pay around $124.
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Fueling a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan
- Starting price: $119,500
According to Edmunds, the full-size S-Class has consistently set the standard for luxury sedans, remaining the model that most defines the brand’s image of “overengineered opulence.”
Those looking for more performance features can choose the AMG S-class and Mercedes-Maybach S-Class trims, but for our fuel cost purposes, we’re using the 442 horsepower, 3.0 liter, 6 cylinder, nine-speed base 2025 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 500 4MATIC sedan, which has a starting price of $119,500, per M-B USA.
With a combined 24 MPG fuel economy rating (21 city and 31 highway) and driving a monthly 1,123 miles at an average regular unleaded gas price of $3.320/gallon (per AAA, data accurate as of March 6), the S-Class driver will spend around $155.35 on fuel per month, per Calculator.net. Of course, gas price will vary depending on where you live.
That’s not cheap. And it’s more than many cars that have smaller tanks and higher MPG mileage. Using 15,000 annual 45% highway and 55% city-driving miles for its example, FuelEconomy.com estimates you’ll pay up to $2,450 annually on gas on the S-Class and $4,250 more in fuel costs over five years compared to the average new vehicle.
Vehicle efficiency matters, but in the majority of cases charging an EV is significantly cheaper than fueling a gasoline car. Unless you are consistently relying on public charging at peak times or live in a state with exceptionally high residential electricity rates, driving an EV like the Tesla Model S will save you a great deal of money in charging costs compared to filling up the gas tank of a sedan like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class every month.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s What It Costs To Charge a Tesla Model S Monthly vs. Using Gas for a Mercedes-Benz S-Class
