Honda Civic LX (gas)
$35,070 / 5 yr
$585/mo$0.58/mi
Lowest 5-yr cost
What an EV really costs in Nebraska — 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 Nebraska is the Toyota Corolla LE at $34,057 — a gas car. The cheapest electric, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) ($43,786), runs about $9,729 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, Nebraska
- 13.6¢/kWhEIA · 2026-05
- Gasoline, Nebraska
- $3.61/galAAA
- Charging loss (modeled)
- 12%EPA / SAE J1634
- Maintenance ($/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 $35,070 — about $13,673 less than the Chevrolet Equinox EV LT ($585/mo, $0.58/mi).
Total cost of ownership, cheapest first
Chevrolet Equinox EV LT
$48,743 / 5 yr
$812/mo$0.81/mi
+$13,673 more than the Honda Civic LX (39%)
Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD
$53,318 / 5 yr
$889/mo$0.89/mi
+$18,248 more than the Honda Civic LX (52%)
Lowest 5-year cost: Honda Civic LX (gas) at $35,070, $585 per month. Chevrolet Equinox EV LT $48,743; Tesla Model 3 Premium $53,318.
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 (46%) | $9,144 (26%) | $20,997 (43%) |
| Charging / fuel | $3,011 (6%) | $6,018 (17%) | $3,493 (7%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$361) | — | 12% (~$419) |
| Maintenance | $3,660 (7%) | $4,620 (13%) | $3,660 (8%) |
| Insurance | $13,750 (26%) | $11,000 (31%) | $13,750 (28%) |
| Financing interest | $7,427 (14%) | $4,213 (12%) | $6,017 (12%) |
| Registration & fees | $825 (2%) | $75 (0%) | $825 (2%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $53,318 | $35,070 | $48,743 |
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 Nebraska's numbers
Home electricity here is 13.6¢/kWh, 26.3% below the 18.4¢ U.S. average (EIA, 2026-05), and regular gas averages $3.61/gal, 6.1% below the national $3.85 (AAA). Nebraska also charges electric cars a $150/yr road-use fee on top of the $15 base registration — $750 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 Nebraska lands $1,595 below its U.S.-average figure, while the average gas or hybrid car lands $1,481 below its own. Net effect: Nebraska narrows the gap an EV has to close by about $113. Head-to-head that comes out as EVs taking 14 of 55 matchups at Nebraska 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, Nebraska is 8th cheapest for an electric car and 15th for a gas or hybrid one. Its residential rate has moved 12.0¢ → 13.3¢/kWh across the 24 months to 2026-04 (+10.8%); on a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD that shift alone is about $288 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 $13,552 more over 5 years than the gas or hybrid car it is matched against at Nebraska rates — against $13,751 more nationally. Nebraska closes it by about $199. The EV that comes closest here is the Rivian R1S Dual-Motor (Standard Pack) against the Cadillac Escalade, $15,816 ahead; the furthest behind is the Kia EV9 Light Long Range RWD (electric) against the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid LE FWD, $25,123 adrift.
Running cost, Nebraska prices: a Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD draws about $3.86 of electricity per 100 miles at home (charging loss included), against $12.04 of gas for a 30 mpg car. A gas car would need 94 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.
Nebraska 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 Nebraska
Ranked by true 5-year cost of ownership at Nebraska rates (12,000 mi/yr, all-in):
Nebraska cost by model
Nebraska is one of the six cheapest states in the country for 4 of the 80 models we price — Ford F-150 Lightning Pro at $64,980, Rivian R1T Dual-Motor at $77,261, Tesla Cybertruck AWD at $83,329 and 1 more. Sorted by 5-year cost to own at Nebraska rates; the order is not the national order.
| Type | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Corolla LE (gas) | Gas | $23,000 | $34,057 | $568 | $1,013 cheaper than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) | Hybrid | $28,350 | $34,103 | $568 | $967 cheaper than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Honda Civic LX (gas) | Gas | $25,400 | $35,070 | $585 | $1,013 more than the Toyota Corolla LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid LE | Hybrid | $29,000 | $36,945 | $616 | $1,875 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Hyundai Kona SE (gas) | Gas | $25,600 | $37,862 | $631 | $1,833 cheaper than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE | Hybrid | $31,900 | $37,894 | $632 | $1,801 cheaper than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Honda Accord LX (gas) | Gas | $28,000 | $38,287 | $638 | $3,217 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) | Gas | $30,000 | $39,695 | $662 | $318 cheaper than the Honda CR-V LX (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Honda CR-V LX (gas) | Gas | $31,000 | $40,013 | $667 | $318 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport | Hybrid | $35,630 | $40,991 | $683 | $1,296 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Toyota Tacoma SR | Gas | $32,145 | $42,323 | $705 | $9,575 cheaper than the Ford F-150 XLT (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid SE | Plug-in hybrid | $43,865 | $42,926 | $715 | $3,231 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) | Electric | $27,800 | $43,786 | $730 | $9,683 more than the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) at Nebraska rates |
| Nissan Leaf SV+ | Electric | $28,140 | $44,305 | $738 | $10,202 more than the Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) at Nebraska rates |
| Toyota bZ XLE (electric) | Electric | $34,900 | $46,537 | $776 | $6,842 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE | Electric | $35,000 | $47,576 | $793 | $7,881 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| 2026 Fiat 500e | Electric | $35,700 | $48,251 | $804 | $13,181 more than the Honda Civic LX (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV LT | Electric | $34,995 | $48,743 | $812 | $9,048 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) | Electric | $36,875 | $49,413 | $824 | $9,718 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| 2026 Volvo EX30 Single motor extended range | Electric | $38,950 | $50,715 | $845 | $11,020 more than the Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Ford F-150 XLT (gas) | Gas | $42,000 | $51,898 | $865 | $989 more than the Ram 1500 Tradesman Quad Cab at Nebraska rates |
| Ford F-150 Lightning Pro | Electric | $54,780 | $64,980 | $1,083 | $13,082 more than the Ford F-150 XLT (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Rivian R1T Dual-Motor | Electric | $69,900 | $77,261 | $1,288 | $25,363 more than the Ford F-150 XLT (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV LT Extended Range | Electric | $69,100 | $78,599 | $1,310 | $26,701 more than the Ford F-150 XLT (gas) at Nebraska rates |
| Tesla Cybertruck AWD | Electric | $79,990 | $83,329 | $1,389 | $31,431 more than the Ford F-150 XLT (gas) at Nebraska rates |
This is the Nebraska-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 Nebraska
None of them. All 55 head-to-head matchups come out the same way at Nebraska rates as at the U.S. average — local prices move the totals here by $1,595 on an average EV, but never enough to change a winner. See every matchup →
Car insurance in Nebraska
Drivers in Nebraska spent an average of $980 a year on auto insurance — 23.5% 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 Nebraska?
Usually not at typical mileage, as of August 2026: the cheapest model we track in Nebraska is the Toyota Corolla LE (a gas car) at $34,057 over 5 years, while the cheapest electric — the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) at $43,786 — runs about $9,729 more. High mileage or cheap home charging can flip it; each comparison page shows exactly when.
Which EV is cheapest to own in Nebraska?
As of August 2026, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (used) — about $43,786 over 5 years all-in: depreciation, charging (including losses), insurance, maintenance, registration fees and financing.
What do electricity and gas cost in Nebraska right now?
Our totals use 13.6¢/kWh for home electricity (EIA) and $3.61/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 Nebraska?
About $4 per 100 miles at home at Nebraska's residential rate (13.6¢/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 Nebraska?
Drivers in Nebraska spent an average of about $980 a year — 23.5% 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 Nebraska's
Closest matches on home electricity and pump price — the states where the same car lands nearest to its Nebraska total — plus the cheapest and most expensive states in the country to run an EV: