2020 head-to-head · Midsize Car
2020 Lexus ES vs Tesla Model 3
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
The 2020 Tesla Model 3 is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, it costs about $648 a year to fuel (141 MPGe), versus $1,788 for the 2020 Lexus ES (26 MPG). That's roughly $1,140 a year, or about $5,702 over five years.
Your numbers
Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.
Fuel cost over 10 years
- Lexus ES
- Tesla Model 3
Side by side
| Lexus ES | Tesla Model 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| $1,788 | Your annual fuel cost | $648 |
| 26 MPG | Combined efficiency | 141 MPGe |
| 22 MPG | City | 148 MPGe |
| 32 MPG | Highway | 132 MPGe |
| — | Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) | 24 kWh |
| — | Driving range | 250 mi |
| 100 cu ft | Passenger volume | 97 cu ft |
| 13 cu ft | Cargo volume | 15 cu ft |
| 346 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 0 g/mi |
| 5/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 10/10 |
| 5/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 10/10 |
| — | Charge time at 240V | 8.5 hrs |
| Gas | Powertrain | Electric |
| Regular gasoline | Fuel | Electricity |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Engine / motor | Electric motor (211 kW) |
| 8-speed automatic | Transmission | Single-speed |
| FWD | Drivetrain | RWD |
✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.
Lexus ES vs Tesla Model 3 across model years
- Lexus ES
- Tesla Model 3
Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.
How they differ
Per EPA interior volume figures, the Lexus ES has more passenger space (100 vs. 97 cu ft); the Tesla Model 3 has more cargo space (15 vs. 13 cu ft).
Among 64 2020 midsize cars, the Lexus ES ranks 33rd and the Tesla Model 3 1st for lowest fuel cost.
Because the Tesla Model 3 is fully electric, it has no tailpipe emissions and its running cost depends almost entirely on your electricity rate. Cheap overnight home charging widens its advantage over the Lexus ES; relying on DC fast chargers can erase it.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2020 Lexus ES or the 2020 Tesla Model 3?
Measured by cost to drive, the Tesla Model 3. The Lexus ES is rated 26 MPG combined and the Tesla Model 3 141 MPGe (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2020 Lexus ES vs. the Tesla Model 3 per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, about $1,788 for the Lexus ES and $648 for the Tesla Model 3.
Which has more cargo space?
The Tesla Model 3, with 15 cu ft of luggage volume versus 13 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).
Lexus ES vs Tesla Model 3 in other years
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