Sticker price tells you what an EV SUV costs. Range tells you how far it goes. Divide one by the other and you get a single number that is surprisingly useful for shopping: EV SUV cost per mile of range, what you pay for each mile of EPA-rated range. We used that math in our VW ID.4 bonus story, and this time we ran it across six compact and midsize EV SUVs sold in the US.
Every price below was checked on the automaker’s own website on Friday, November 13, and every range figure comes from the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov data. The Chevrolet Equinox EV comes out on top at $111 per mile, with the Ioniq 5 SE next at $119.
$111 per mile
Equinox EV LT 1
$119 per mile
Ioniq 5 SE
$127 per mile
Mach-E Premium
How We Calculated EV SUV Cost per Mile of Range
The formula is simple: base MSRP divided by EPA-estimated range. We used each maker’s base MSRP before destination, because that is how all six brands list their prices. Destination is extra and varies by brand. Ford lists $2,045 on the Mach-E and Volkswagen lists $1,475 on the ID.4, for example, so add a few dollars per mile to every figure once you get to a real quote.
Taxes, dealer fees, paint and options are left out. So are incentives, with one exception we call out below, because they change month to month and often depend on your ZIP code.
The Tesla Model Y isn’t in this round. We couldn’t load Tesla’s US pricing on Friday night, and the Model Y range on Tesla’s configurator currently doesn’t match the EPA listing, so we couldn’t confirm either number the way we did for the others. Our Model Y AWD story has the current lineup.
The best-value version of each EV SUV
This table shows the trim with the lowest cost per mile for each model, using only trims whose price we could confirm on the maker’s site.
| Model and trim | Base MSRP | EPA range | Cost per mile of range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Chevrolet Equinox EV LT 1 FWD | $35,395 | 319 mi | $111 |
| 2027 Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE RWD | $37,750 | 318 mi | $119 |
| 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium RWD | $40,595 | 320 mi | $127 |
| 2026 Kia EV6 Light Long Range RWD | $41,200 | 319 mi | $129 |
| 2027 Toyota bZ Limited FWD | $43,380 | 299 mi | $145 |
| 2026 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro RWD | $45,095 | 291 mi | $155 ($121 with the $10,000 bonus) |
Four of the six land within two miles of 320 miles of range, so the ranking mostly comes down to price. That is where the Equinox EV pulls ahead. Its LT 1 is the cheapest car in the group with more than 300 miles of range, and Chevrolet charges $2,355 less for it than Hyundai does for an Ioniq 5 SE with one mile less range.
The Equinox doesn’t win on efficiency. The EPA rates the front-drive Equinox EV at 108 MPGe combined, the lowest of the long-range models here. The Ioniq 5 SE and EV6 Light Long Range are both rated 114 MPGe. Chevrolet gets its range from a big battery at a low price, which is great for this metric but means slightly higher charging costs per mile driven.
Every trim we could verify
Here is the full list, sorted from best to worst cost per mile.
| Model and trim | Base MSRP | EPA range | Cost per mile of range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equinox EV LT 1 FWD | $35,395 | 319 mi | $111 |
| Ioniq 5 SE RWD | $37,750 | 318 mi | $119 |
| Ioniq 5 SEL RWD | $40,200 | 318 mi | $126 |
| Mach-E Premium RWD | $40,595 | 320 mi | $127 |
| EV6 Light Long Range RWD | $41,200 | 319 mi | $129 |
| EV6 Wind RWD | $44,800 | 319 mi | $140 |
| Ioniq 5 Limited RWD | $45,225 | 318 mi | $142 |
| Ioniq 5 SE Standard Range RWD | $35,250 | 245 mi | $144 |
| bZ Limited FWD | $43,380 | 299 mi | $145 |
| Mach-E Select RWD | $37,795 | 260 mi | $145 |
| bZ XLE FWD | $34,980 | 236 mi | $148 |
| EV6 GT-Line RWD | $48,700 | 319 mi | $153 |
| ID.4 Pro RWD | $45,095 | 291 mi | $155 |
| EV6 Light RWD | $37,900 | 237 mi | $160 |
| Ioniq 5 XRT AWD | $46,525 | 259 mi | $180 |
| Mach-E GT AWD | $53,395 | 280 mi | $191 |
| Mach-E Rally AWD | $57,690 | 255 mi | $226 |
The cheapest trim is usually the worst deal per mile
The clearest pattern in the list is that entry trims with smaller batteries cost more per mile than the next trim up. Spending a little more buys a lot of range.
- Hyundai Ioniq 5: The SE costs $2,500 more than the SE Standard Range and adds 73 miles. That works out to about $34 for each extra mile, and it drops the cost per mile from $144 to $119. Our Ioniq 5 trim guide reached the same conclusion.
- Kia EV6: The Light Long Range costs $3,300 more than the Light and adds 82 miles, about $40 per extra mile. More detail is in our EV6 trim guide.
- Ford Mustang Mach-E: The Premium costs $2,800 more than the Select and adds 60 miles in rear-drive form, about $47 per extra mile. It also adds heated and ventilated front seats and a B&O sound system, according to Ford.
- Toyota bZ: The base XLE is the cheapest car in this comparison at $34,980, but its 236-mile rating makes it one of the more expensive per mile. Toyota rates the XLE FWD Plus at 314 miles, which would likely be the bZ’s best value, but Toyota’s own site didn’t show that version’s price when we checked. Third-party listings show $37,980, so treat that one as unconfirmed. Our bZ buyer guide has more on the trims.
The Equinox EV is the exception. Its cheapest trim already has the long-range battery, so there is no step-up to make.
All-wheel drive costs range, too
Adding a second motor usually costs money and range. These are the EPA ratings for the same model in its best-range rear- or front-drive form and its all-wheel-drive form.
- Equinox EV: 319 miles FWD, 307 miles AWD
- Ioniq 5: 318 miles RWD, 290 miles AWD on 19-inch wheels
- EV6 Long Range: 319 miles RWD, 295 miles AWD on 19-inch wheels
- Mach-E with the extended-range battery: 320 miles RWD, 300 miles AWD
- bZ: 314 miles for the XLE FWD Plus, 288 miles for the XLE AWD
- ID.4: 291 miles RWD, 263 miles AWD
The Equinox EV gives up the least range at 12 miles. The ID.4 and Ioniq 5 give up the most at 28 miles each. If you need AWD for snow, the price gap matters more than the range gap, so get a quote for the exact build. Most of the makers we checked don’t show AWD trim prices on their main trim cards.
Discounts can change the order
Cost per mile at MSRP is a starting point, and incentives can move a car up the list quickly. The best example this month is the $10,000 Customer Bonus that Volkswagen’s offers page lists on every 2026 ID.4 trim, for purchase or lease, from November 6 through November 30, 2026. It takes the ID.4 Pro from $155 per mile to $121 before destination, putting it just behind the Ioniq 5 SE. Our ID.4 story covers the details, including an open battery recall to check before you buy, and its figures run a few dollars higher because they include destination.
Hyundai’s site also showed up to $2,750 in cash savings on every Ioniq 5 trim for the ZIP code we checked. That would bring the SE to roughly $110 per mile, about even with the Equinox EV. Offers vary by region and change monthly, so check your own ZIP.
Ford’s consumer site still lists 2026 Mach-E pricing. The 2027 model makes the bigger battery standard, which changes the math for the Select. Our 2027 Mach-E guide has those prices.
When paying more per mile makes sense
Cost per mile is good for building a shortlist, but it doesn’t measure everything you might care about.
Good reasons to pay more per mile
- You need all-wheel drive for winter roads or a steep driveway.
- You road trip often and want faster DC charging. Charging speed varies a lot between these models and isn’t part of this math.
- You care about efficiency. Front-drive versions of the bZ are rated 125 to 131 MPGe, well above the Equinox EV’s 108, so it uses less electricity per mile.
- You want features that only come on higher trims, like ventilated seats or a better driver-assistance package.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is the destination charge, and does the quote include it?
- Which incentives apply to this exact car, and when do they end?
- Are there open recalls on this VIN?
- What is the AWD price for the trim you want, and how much range do you give up?
EPA range is also a best case. Cold weather and highway speeds cut into it, and our guide to winter range and preconditioning explains how to get some of it back.
FAQ
Which EV SUV has the lowest cost per mile of range right now?
Of the models we could verify on maker websites on November 13, 2026, the 2027 Chevrolet Equinox EV LT 1 FWD is lowest at $111 per mile, based on its $35,395 MSRP and 319-mile EPA range. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE is second at $119.
How do you calculate cost per mile of range?
Divide the vehicle’s price by its EPA-estimated range. A $40,000 EV rated at 320 miles costs $125 per mile of range. We used base MSRP before destination so every brand is compared the same way.
Why isn’t the Tesla Model Y included?
We couldn’t confirm Tesla’s current prices on its own website on Friday night, and Tesla’s listed range for the base Model Y doesn’t currently match the EPA figure. We plan to add it once both can be checked.
Is a lower cost per mile always the better buy?
No. It’s a quick way to compare value, but it ignores charging speed, efficiency, features, incentives and AWD. Use it to narrow the list, then compare full quotes.