Gas Stations Push Drivers Toward EVs as Iran War Prices Rise
Gas stations have become more expensive stopovers since the start of the Iran war, and that has lifted the day-to-day cost of owning a car that runs on fossil fuels. For drivers watching every fill-up, the price gap is making fully electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and traditional hybrids look harder to ignore.
Earlier this year, the price gap between EVs and gas cars was about $6,500, according to Kelley Blue Book. That figure sits beside a cheaper operating cost once a driver is charging instead of filling a tank, but it also comes with a higher sticker price that still keeps many buyers on the fence.
EVs, plug-ins, and Priuses
Fully electric vehicles run only on electric motors, which means no gas station stops at all. Plug-in hybrids split the difference: they carry an electric battery and a gas tank, run on electricity when charged, then switch to gas after the battery is depleted. In most plug-in hybrid models, the electric range is 25 to 35 miles, though some high-end versions can go more than 50 miles before the gas engine takes over.
Traditional hybrids like the Toyota Prius work differently. Their electric and gas engines take turns based on what the car is doing, with the electric motor handling low-speed driving and cruising and the gas engine kicking in when more power is needed. Drivers never have to plug them in, but they still need regular stops at gas stations, just less often than a conventional car.
Why EVs still cost more
Electric vehicles have become an increasingly viable alternative over the past several years, yet they still make up a relatively small share of cars on America’s roads. The full cost of ownership is higher for EVs a little more than half the time, depending on the car and other variables, largely because their startup cost is higher even before maintenance savings are counted.
Charging an EV battery is substantially cheaper than filling a traditional gas tank, and EVs need less maintenance because they have fewer moving parts and do not use engine oil that must be replaced regularly. That leaves buyers weighing an immediate $6,500 price gap against lower operating costs over time, with the best choice depending on how far they drive and how long they plan to keep the car.
For households hit hardest by higher fuel bills, the practical next step is simple: compare the upfront cost of a fully electric vehicle with the gas savings from a plug-in hybrid or a traditional hybrid. If the car spends most of its time on short trips, the 25 to 35 mile electric range in many plug-in hybrids can cover a lot of daily driving without using gas at all.
