To promote the use of electric cars, the U.S. DOE launched eGallon for consumers to calculate the local cost of fueling electric vehicles vs. driving on gasoline.
Today’s national average eGallon price is about $1.14, meaning that a typical electric car could travel as far on $1.14 worth of electricity as a similar vehicle could travel on a gallon of gasoline.
On eGallon, consumers can see the latest eGallon price for their state and compare it to the price of gasoline. Over time, consumers will notice that the eGallon price will be far more stable and predictable than gasoline prices. That’s because the eGallon price depends on electricity prices, which historically are very stable; gasoline prices depend on the global oil market, which can be very unstable and are often influenced by unpredictable international events.
The eGallon provides a metric that is easily comparable to the traditional gallon of unleaded fuel. That comparison is made by calculating how much it would cost to drive an electric vehicle the same distance as a similar conventional vehicle could travel on a gallon of gasoline.
For example, if gasoline costs $3.60 per gallon in your state and the eGallon price for your state is $1.20, that means that for $1.20 worth of electricity you can drive the same distance as you could for $3.60 worth of gasoline. The eGallon price varies from state to state based on the price of electricity.
In just the last couple years, significant cost reductions and improvements in vehicle performance have had a dramatic impact on the U.S. automotive market. Sales of plug-in electric vehicles in the U.S. tripled in 2012, with more than 50,000 cars sold. Sales are growing significantly again in 2013.
[source: U.S. DOE]
