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Rivian R1S Total Cost of Ownership Calculator

The Rivian R1S's 7-year cost of ownership against a Ford Explorer, with premium-EV depreciation and battery wear modelled.

Updated · By Niraj Kumar · 6 sources

The cars

$

Dual Standard starting price. Replace it with your quote.

$

Active RWD, 23 mpg combined.

Where and how you charge

%
0%100%

The rest is public fast charging. Most owners with a driveway charge 80-90% at home.

¢/kWh

California residential average (EIA). Enter the all-in rate from your bill to override.

¢/kWh

Driving

years
1 yr10 yrs
$per gallon

California average for regular (AAA).

Fine-tune

%
0%10%
%
0%10%
%
0%8%

About 2% is typical; the loss slows after that. Hot climates and frequent fast charging push it up.

$

The federal credit ended for cars bought after 30 September 2025.

$

Set to 0 if you already have one or will use a standard outlet.

$
$

Assumed full coverage; replace both with quotes.

How you payHow you pay
Over 7 yearsGas saves $27,201The EV does not catch up within 7 years

The Rivian R1S costs 16.1¢ a mile to charge, against 26.9¢ a mile in gas for the Ford Explorer.

Rivian R1S, total cost
$102,015
121.4¢ a mile, all in
Ford Explorer, total cost
$74,814
89.1¢ a mile, all in
EV price premium repaid
Not in 7 yrs
from running savings, before resale
Battery at the end
92%
about 249 of 270 miles of range
CO₂ avoided
18.6 tonnes
at the US grid average
Cost of ownership if sold at the end of each yearRivian R1SFord Explorer
$0$25 K$50 K$75 K$100 K$125 K$102.01 K$74.81 K1234567
Cash saved by choosing the EV, before resaleStill to recoverAhead
$-50 K$-40 K$-30 K$-20 K$-10 K$001234567
Where the money goes over 7 years
CostRivian R1SFord Explorer
Purchase less resale$64,632$28,194
Charging or gas$14,696$24,010
Maintenance$5,040$7,560
Insurance$16,800$15,050
EV registration fees$847$0
Total$102,015$74,814
Year-by-year costs and battery healthShow
YearChargingGasBatteryRangeEV cost to dateGas car cost to date
1$1,927$3,23098%264 mi$37,456$18,147
2$1,986$3,29496%260 mi$52,939$29,100
3$2,042$3,36095%258 mi$65,322$38,911
4$2,098$3,42795%255 mi$75,394$48,386
5$2,155$3,49694%253 mi$84,735$57,527
6$2,214$3,56693%251 mi$93,345$66,336
7$2,274$3,63792%249 mi$102,015$74,814

How the Rivian R1S Total Cost of Ownership Calculator works

TCO = Price × (1 + tax) − rebates + charger + Σ₍y₎ [energy₍y₎ + maintenance + insurance + fees] + interest − resale₍N₎

This page uses the same method as the EV vs Gas Total Cost of Ownership Calculator, which explains each term and assumption in full.

Worked example

A Rivian R1S Dual Standard ($78,885) against a Ford Explorer Active RWD ($40,260) in California, driven 12,000 miles a year for 7 years, paid in cash, charging 80% at home.

  1. 1Home electricity costs about 33.6¢ a kWh; with 20% fast charging at 48.0¢ the blend is 36.5¢
  2. 2At 44 kWh/100 mi the Rivian R1S costs 16.1¢ a mile; at 23 mpg and $6.19 a gallon the Ford Explorer costs 26.9¢ a mile
  3. 3Buying costs $87,508 for the EV with tax and a home charger, against $43,895
  4. 4After 7 years the battery keeps about 92% of its capacity, and the cars would sell for about $22,877 and $15,701

Over 7 years the Rivian R1S costs $102,015 to own and the Ford Explorer $74,814, so the gas car comes out $27,201 cheaper at these assumptions.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Rivian R1S cheaper to own than the Ford Explorer?

At California prices and 12,000 miles a year, the Rivian R1S costs about 16.1¢ a mile to charge and the Ford Explorer 26.9¢ a mile in gas; its running savings do not repay the higher price within 7 years. Counting depreciation, the Ford Explorer comes out about $27,201 cheaper to own over 7 years. Cheaper home electricity, more miles, a rebate or a lower price than list all move the result, so try your own figures.

Why is depreciation the biggest cost of an R1S?

At close to $79,000, a few points of extra depreciation are worth more than years of fuel savings, and premium EVs have lost value faster than mainstream ones. Insurance is also likely above the calculator's default; replace it with a quote. A fairer gas rival for price is a luxury three-row SUV, which you can model by entering its price and mpg.

How much does it cost to charge a Rivian R1S at home in California?

At California's average residential rate of 33.6¢ a kWh, filling the Rivian R1S's roughly 92 kWh battery from empty costs about $31 before charging losses. At 44 kWh per 100 miles measured at the wall, 12,000 miles a year with 20% fast charging comes to about $1,927, or 16.1¢ a mile.

How much range does a Rivian R1S lose in 7 years?

At 12,000 miles a year the model here expects the battery to keep about 92% of its capacity after 7 years, so the 270-mile EPA range becomes roughly 249 miles. Heat, frequent fast charging and keeping the battery at 100% speed this up; the retention curve is an assumption you can change.

Sources

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