Honda Civic LX (gas)
$36,642 / 5 yr
$611/mo$0.61/mi
Lowest 5-yr cost
What an EV really costs in Montana — any EV, any hybrid, any gas car
As of August 2026: of the 85 models we price, the cheapest to own over 5 years in Montana is the Toyota Prius LE at $35,467 — a hybrid. The cheapest electric, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) ($44,964), runs about $9,497 more — we say it plainly when the gas or hybrid car wins.
Charging mostly at home, an EV usually costs about half as much per mile to run as a comparable gas car — but higher depreciation and insurance can erase that, and the federal $7,500 credit is gone (). The cheaper car depends on the exact vehicles, your mileage, and your local rates. Compare any below — every assumption shown and dated.
No referral fees. No manufacturer commissions. We tell you when gas wins.
The numbers behind every EV-vs-gas estimate
- Electricity, Montana
- 14.7¢/kWhEIA · 2026-05
- Gasoline, Montana
- $3.95/galAAA
- Charging loss (modeled)
- 12%EPA / SAE J1634
- Maintenance ($/mi)
- EV $0.06 vs gas $0.10AAA (est.)
- Insurance ($/yr, avg)
- EV $2,750 vs gas $2,200industry (est.)
- Federal EV purchase credit (2026)
- $0 — expired Sept 30, 2025IRS / OBBBA
Example comparison — change the vehicles belowOver 5 years, the Honda Civic LX (gas car) is the cheapest at $36,642 — about $13,288 less than the Chevrolet Equinox EV LT ($611/mo, $0.61/mi).
Total cost of ownership, cheapest first
Chevrolet Equinox EV LT
$49,930 / 5 yr
$832/mo$0.83/mi
+$13,288 more than the Honda Civic LX (36%)
Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD
$54,467 / 5 yr
$908/mo$0.91/mi
+$17,825 more than the Honda Civic LX (49%)
Lowest 5-year cost: Honda Civic LX (gas) at $36,642, $611 per month. Chevrolet Equinox EV LT $49,930; Tesla Model 3 Premium $54,467.
Cumulative cost over time
This shows your total spend by each year — purchase, charging/fuel, depreciation, insurance and financing combined. Where two lines cross is your payback point.
Tesla Model 3 PremiumHonda Civic LXChevrolet Equinox EV LT
Tesla Model 3 Premium never beats Honda Civic LX within 5 yrs · Chevrolet Equinox EV LT never beats Honda Civic LX within 5 yrs
Where the money goes (full breakdown)
| Cost component | Electric · Tesla Model 3 Premium | Gas · Honda Civic LX | Electric · Chevrolet Equinox EV LT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $24,644 (45%) | $9,144 (25%) | $20,997 (42%) |
| Charging / fuel | $3,251 (6%) | $6,580 (18%) | $3,771 (8%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$390) | — | 12% (~$453) |
| Maintenance | $3,660 (7%) | $4,620 (13%) | $3,660 (7%) |
| Insurance | $13,750 (25%) | $11,000 (30%) | $13,750 (28%) |
| Financing interest | $7,427 (14%) | $4,213 (11%) | $6,017 (12%) |
| Registration & fees | $1,735 (3%) | $1,085 (3%) | $1,735 (3%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $54,467 | $36,642 | $49,930 |
The charging-loss row is the ~10–15% of electricity lost to AC charging that you pay for but never reaches the battery — most calculators silently omit it, which makes EVs look cheaper than they are. We include it.
Incentives (as of 2026-08-06)
- Federal EV purchase credit ($7,500 new / $4,000 used) — EXPIRED Sept 30, 2025. Ended under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — not available; never in our headline cost.
- Home charger credit (30C) — EXPIRED June 30, 2026. Was 30% of a home-charger install up to $1,000 (IRS Form 8911) — terminated for property placed in service after June 30, 2026 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
- New-vehicle auto-loan interest deduction — ACTIVE 2025–2028. Deduct interest on a new US-assembled vehicle loan, up to $10k/yr (income-limited).
- State & utility incentives — VARIES. Layered per location with a dated source — arriving with the state data packs.
Why trust this
- Unbiased. No referral fees, no manufacturer commissions, no utility-territory lock.
- Current. Live EIA electricity rates; every number sourced and dated.
- Honest. We model charging loss and show you when gas is the better buy.
- Full methodology & sources →
We take no manufacturer commissions, no utility-territory deals, and no referral fees that affect the calculator. Any affiliate links are clearly disclosed and never change the math. The site currently carries no advertising. We show you when gas wins.
What is different about Montana's numbers
Home electricity here is 14.7¢/kWh, 20.4% below the 18.4¢ U.S. average (EIA, 2026-05), and regular gas averages $3.95/gal, 2.6% above the national $3.85 (AAA). Montana also charges electric cars a $130/yr road-use fee on top of the $217 base registration — $650 across 5 years, folded into every EV figure on this page.
Run all 80 models that have their own cost page through the kernel at both rate sets and the average electric car's 5-year total in Montana lands $369 below its U.S.-average figure, while the average gas or hybrid car lands $325 above its own. Net effect: Montana narrows the gap an EV has to close by about $694. Head-to-head that comes out as EVs taking 14 of 55 matchups at Montana rates against 14 nationally — we publish that whichever way it falls.
Ranked against the other 50 state rate sets by what the whole priced fleet costs to run, Montana is 28th cheapest for an electric car and 44th for a gas or hybrid one. Its residential rate has moved 13.2¢ → 13.9¢/kWh across the 24 months to 2026-04 (+5.3%); on a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD that shift alone is about $155 more electricity over 5 years than the same car would have cost at the 2024-05 rate.
Across the 37 matchups where an electric car faces a gas or hybrid one, the median EV costs $13,094 more over 5 years than the gas or hybrid car it is matched against at Montana rates — against $13,751 more nationally. Montana closes it by about $657. The EV that comes closest here is the Rivian R1S Dual-Motor (Standard Pack) against the Cadillac Escalade, $16,977 ahead; the furthest behind is the Kia EV9 Light Long Range RWD (electric) against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid LE FWD, $24,825 adrift.
Running cost, Montana prices: a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD draws about $4.17 of electricity per 100 miles at home (charging loss included), against $13.16 of gas for a 30 mpg car. A gas car would need 95 mpg to match the EV's fuel bill here. That is the running-cost line only — depreciation and insurance are what usually decide the 5-year total, and they are why most of the matchups below still go to the gas or hybrid car.
Montana EV incentive: none we can verify. Federal support ended too — the $7,500 new / $4,000 used credits expired Sept 30, 2025 — so nothing is discounted anywhere on this page.
Cheapest EVs to own in Montana
Ranked by true 5-year cost of ownership at Montana rates (12,000 mi/yr, all-in):
Montana cost by model
Montana is one of the six most expensive for 2 of the 80 models we price — Toyota Camry Hybrid LE at $38,385, Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) at $35,467. Sorted by 5-year cost to own at Montana rates; the order is not the national order.
| Type | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) | Hybrid | $28,350 | $35,467 | $591 | $1,175 cheaper than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Montana rates |
| Toyota Corolla LE (gas) | Gas | $23,000 | $35,644 | $594 | $998 cheaper than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Montana rates |
| Honda Civic LX (gas) | Gas | $25,400 | $36,642 | $611 | $998 more than the Toyota Corolla LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid LE | Hybrid | $29,000 | $38,385 | $640 | $1,743 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Montana rates |
| Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE | Hybrid | $31,900 | $39,374 | $656 | $2,005 cheaper than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| Hyundai Kona SE (gas) | Gas | $25,600 | $39,524 | $659 | $1,855 cheaper than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| Honda Accord LX (gas) | Gas | $28,000 | $39,929 | $665 | $3,287 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Montana rates |
| Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) | Gas | $30,000 | $41,379 | $690 | $318 cheaper than the Honda CR-V LX (gas) at Montana rates |
| Honda CR-V LX (gas) | Gas | $31,000 | $41,697 | $695 | $318 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport | Hybrid | $35,630 | $42,507 | $708 | $1,128 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| Toyota Tacoma SR | Gas | $32,145 | $44,212 | $737 | $9,615 cheaper than the Ford F-150 XLT (gas) at Montana rates |
| Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid SE | Plug-in hybrid | $43,865 | $44,230 | $737 | $2,851 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) | Electric | $27,800 | $44,964 | $749 | $9,497 more than the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) at Montana rates |
| Nissan Leaf SV+ | Electric | $28,140 | $45,502 | $758 | $10,035 more than the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) at Montana rates |
| Toyota bZ XLE (electric) | Electric | $34,900 | $47,694 | $795 | $6,315 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE | Electric | $35,000 | $48,754 | $813 | $7,375 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| 2026 Fiat 500e | Electric | $35,700 | $49,441 | $824 | $12,799 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Montana rates |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV LT | Electric | $34,995 | $49,930 | $832 | $8,551 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) | Electric | $36,875 | $50,601 | $843 | $9,222 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
| 2026 Volvo EX30 Single motor extended range | Electric | $38,950 | $51,905 | $865 | $10,526 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Montana rates |
This is the Montana-relevant slice of the fleet. The full 80-model table at U.S.-average rates is on every model — price vs 5-year cost.
Matchups that change hands in Montana
None of them. All 55 head-to-head matchups come out the same way at Montana rates as at the U.S. average — local prices move the totals here by $369 on an average EV, but never enough to change a winner. See every matchup →
Car insurance in Montana
Drivers in Montana spent an average of $975 a year on auto insurance — 23.9% below the $1,281 national average (NAIC, 2023, the latest published figure; a state average across all drivers, not a quote for any one car or driver, and premiums have moved since). Electric cars typically add about 42% on top of a comparable gas car, 18% for 2024-and-newer models (Insurify, June 2026, modeled at a standard driver profile).
Our 5-year totals use a labeled per-model estimate for each car, not this average — see how EV insurance moves the 5-year cost.
FAQ
Is an electric car cheaper to own than a gas car in Montana?
Usually not at typical mileage, as of August 2026: the cheapest model we track in Montana is the Toyota Prius LE (a hybrid) at $35,467 over 5 years, while the cheapest electric — the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) at $44,964 — runs about $9,497 more. High mileage or cheap home charging can flip it; each comparison page shows exactly when.
Which EV is cheapest to own in Montana?
As of August 2026, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) — about $44,964 over 5 years all-in: depreciation, charging (including losses), insurance, maintenance, registration fees and financing.
What do electricity and gas cost in Montana right now?
Our totals use 14.7¢/kWh for home electricity (EIA) and $3.95/gal for gas (AAA), as of August 6, 2026.
What does the 5-year total include?
Depreciation, charging or fuel (including the ~12% AC charging loss most calculators omit), insurance, maintenance, registration fees and financing interest — every source dated. The federal $7,500 EV credit expired Sept 30, 2025 and is not applied.
How much does it cost to charge an EV in Montana?
About $4 per 100 miles at home at Montana's residential rate (14.7¢/kWh, EIA), including the ~12% charging loss — using a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD as the reference. See the cost to charge in every state.
How much is car insurance in Montana?
Drivers in Montana spent an average of about $975 a year — 23.9% below the $1,281 national average (NAIC, 2023; a state average across all drivers, not a quote for a specific car or driver, and premiums have moved since). Electric cars typically run about 42% above comparable gas cars (18% for 2024-and-newer models; Insurify, June 2026). EVCostIQ's 5-year totals use our own labeled per-model estimate, not this average.
States whose numbers look like Montana's
Closest matches on home electricity and pump price — the states where the same car lands nearest to its Montana total — plus the cheapest and most expensive states in the country to run an EV: