Gas price spikes helped push one SUV owner to finally swap into an EV — and they estimated the move had drastically cut fuel spending in just two weeks.
Here's what to know
The driver said the decision came after years of discussion at home over when to go electric. In Reddit's r/electricvehicles forum, they described the Kia EV9 as a "basic 1-to-1 replacement" for an aging six-cylinder SUV. They noted "gas price spikes sealed it," and estimated that they had already saved over $200 on fuel.
Local gas prices were around $3.85 a gallon, below the $4.31 national figure. Even with that advantage, their routine still made fuel costs pile up.
Several times a week, the poster said, they drove 40 miles from a smaller city to a larger one. In an SUV that averaged roughly 20 miles per gallon and had an 18-gallon tank, that commute meant filling up twice weekly and spending over $500 a month on gas.
After factoring in fuel, oil changes, belt and brake jobs, and other upkeep, the poster said they expected the EV9 to save them $7,000 annually, even after accounting for a slightly higher monthly vehicle cost and a $2,000 home charger installation.
Commenters added that the experience of driving an electric vehicle is another major strength. "The real long-term benefit for EVs is just how nice they are to drive," one wrote. "They are smooth and powerful and convenient and clean."
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More background
Other users echoed that. One said they noticed "a significant difference" after drives of over two hours because "the decibel reduction makes a nice difference," citing a quieter cabin as a quality-of-life improvement that does not always show up in monthly cost comparisons.
Someone else described making a similar switch after gas hit $6 a gallon, saying their household traded a 2011 MDX for a new EV9. They called it "such a better all-around driving experience" and added that "it feels like I'm part of the solution now (getting off fossil fuels)."
That same commenter said the change also connected to home energy resilience. After adding solar and a Level 2 charger, they found it "liberating not being held hostage by PG&E outages and forever wars."
What can be done?
EV savings depend heavily on an individual driver's circumstances. In this case, the original poster's savings came from replacing an SUV that needed frequent fill-ups.
One commenter said they planned to switch for reasons other than money because the numbers did not work in their case. They described having an old gas sedan that got about 25 mpg, apartment charging for $0.25 per kilowatt-hour, and high state property taxes on a new vehicle.
The OP agreed that there is no universal formula, replying, "The economics don't work all the time for everyone, but for me it was definitely worth the investment."
Users focused on comparing gas spending with charging costs, reviewing maintenance history, pricing out home charging, and considering how much driving consists of repetitive commuting.
The OP said their charger setup should pay for itself within four months, while another EV9 owner said pairing the vehicle with solar added another layer of savings and independence.
"The thing drives like a dream. It is quiet and comfortable and solid all-around. This was the right choice," the OP concluded.
Where can I learn more?
For drivers weighing a similar switch, the articles below explore EV savings.
• In the Bay Area, one driver found their EV cost almost eight times less per mile even without home charging.
• Across the U.S., motorists can save nearly $8,000 on average by switching to an EV.
• For many buyers, the long-term math favors electric ownership over gas models.
• Across Reddit, EV owners said "it's so cheap it's stupid" once commuting moved off gas.
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