EVs look expensive. The math says otherwise.
Most electric vehicle content is written by tech journalists or industry insiders. This one is written by a CPA who's driven only EVs for the last six years — currently two of them, with 75,000+ miles of real ownership data. The focus: what actually saves you money — total cost of ownership, charging economics, tax credits that still exist, and the honest cases where EVs don't make financial sense.
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The flagship
17 electric vehicles, honestly compared
The full 2026 report: comparison table, category winners, total cost of ownership math, charging economics, safety ratings, reliability data, and warranty comparisons. Published April 2026, updated as new models launch.
Read the ReportA sample of what's covered
What the Frugal EV covers
The 10-year math that sticker prices hide
Side-by-side TCO tables for four EV-vs-gas pairings — including the one where the EV loses.
Read itThe used EV goldmine: how to buy one without getting burned
Battery health checks, warranty transfer rules, the post-credit market, and the best used EVs under $25k / $20k / $15k.
Read itEV incentives that still exist in 2026 — and what's gone
The OBBBA loan interest deduction, the 30% home charger credit (hurry — June 30, 2026 deadline), and utility rebates.
Read itWhat EV maintenance actually costs (and what it doesn't)
About $600 a year vs. $1,200 for a gas car. Tire wear reality, brake life, the 12V battery nobody warns you about.
Read itHome-charged EVs cost 4¢ per mile. Here's the strategy.
Per-mile cost comparison, state-by-state electricity rates, the "5% fast-charging insight," and 10 actionable tips for cheap charging.
Read itEVs in winter: what Fort Wayne actually loses
Real winter range loss by model, why gas cars also lose range (the honest comparison), and the heated-seat strategy.
In progressWhen leasing an EV is the smart frugal move
The leasing incentive loophole, three scenarios where leasing wins, four where buying wins, and how to negotiate an EV lease.
In progressEV road trip reality: what it costs, how to plan
Real cost per mile on long trips, chaining free hotel chargers, when a gas rental is actually the frugal choice, and the 80/20 charging rule.
In progress$200 in gear that prevents $2,000 in problems
What two-EV ownership taught me to keep in every car. The cables, adapters, and tools that earn back their cost the first time you actually need them.
In progress
Written by a CPA who drives EVs, not a car reviewer
I'm Charles Carboneau, a CPA based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I've been driving cars for over 50 years, analyzing personal finances for 45+ of them, and publishing frugal-living content since the original Tightwad Gazette days. I also write about household money-saving math at thefrugal.ai. This site applies that discipline to a category most writers treat as aspirational: electric vehicles.
For the last six years, I've driven only electric vehicles — currently two of them, with over 75,000 combined miles spanning long-distance road trips, off-road driving, and everyday city use. The articles on this site come from that ownership experience, not from manufacturer test-drive events.
The goal is honest math. Where EVs save money, I'll show you the numbers. Where they don't — and they don't always — I'll tell you that too. No manufacturer relationships, no sponsored content, no hiding the comparisons where EVs lose.