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Tesla Model Y vs Toyota RAV4 Cost of Ownership

Tesla Model Y or Toyota RAV4 Hybrid? The 7-year cost of each on your state's prices, with charging, depreciation and battery wear.

Updated · By Niraj Kumar · 6 sources

The cars

$

Standard RWD starting price. Replace it with your quote.

$

Hybrid LE FWD, 44 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 $7,781The EV does not catch up within 7 years

The Tesla Model Y costs 9.9¢ a mile to charge, against 14.1¢ a mile in gas for the Toyota RAV4.

Tesla Model Y, total cost
$62,410
74.3¢ a mile, all in
Toyota RAV4, total cost
$54,629
65.0¢ a mile, all in
EV price premium repaid
Not in 7 yrs
from running savings, before resale
Battery at the end
92%
about 296 of 321 miles of range
CO₂ avoided
8.5 tonnes
at the US grid average
Cost of ownership if sold at the end of each yearTesla Model YToyota RAV4
$0$20 K$40 K$60 K$80 K$62.41 K$54.63 K1234567
Cash saved by choosing the EV, before resaleStill to recoverAhead
$-12.5 K$-10 K$-7.5 K$-5 K$-2.5 K$001234567
Where the money goes over 7 years
CostTesla Model YToyota RAV4
Purchase less resale$30,705$19,469
Charging or gas$9,018$12,550
Maintenance$5,040$7,560
Insurance$16,800$15,050
EV registration fees$847$0
Total$62,410$54,629
Year-by-year costs and battery healthShow
YearChargingGasBatteryRangeEV cost to dateGas car cost to date
1$1,182$1,68898%313 mi$18,332$12,584
2$1,219$1,72296%310 mi$27,591$20,407
3$1,253$1,75695%306 mi$35,684$27,626
4$1,288$1,79295%304 mi$43,012$34,562
5$1,323$1,82794%301 mi$49,575$41,214
6$1,359$1,86493%298 mi$56,174$47,903
7$1,395$1,90192%296 mi$62,410$54,629

How the Tesla Model Y vs Toyota RAV4 Cost of Ownership 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 Tesla Model Y Standard RWD ($39,990) against a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE FWD ($31,900) 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 27 kWh/100 mi the Tesla Model Y costs 9.9¢ a mile; at 44 mpg and $6.19 a gallon the Toyota RAV4 costs 14.1¢ a mile
  3. 3Buying costs $45,101 for the EV with tax and a home charger, against $34,781
  4. 4After 7 years the battery keeps about 92% of its capacity, and the cars would sell for about $14,396 and $15,312

Over 7 years the Tesla Model Y costs $62,410 to own and the Toyota RAV4 $54,629, so the gas car comes out $7,781 cheaper at these assumptions.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the RAV4 Hybrid such a hard car for the Model Y to beat?

The 2026 RAV4 is hybrid-only and rated at 44 mpg, so it already spends far less on gas than the average SUV, and Toyotas have held their value better than almost anything else. The Model Y's advantage is a much lower cost per mile when charged at home, which grows with mileage and with gas prices.

How much more does the Tesla Model Y cost upfront than the Toyota RAV4?

Paid in cash in California, the Tesla Model Y Standard RWD costs $45,101 on day one with sales tax and a home charger, against $34,781 for the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE FWD, $10,321 more. Charging then costs about $1,182 a year against $1,688 in gas at 12,000 miles, a difference of $506 a year before maintenance and insurance.

Sources

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