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As business and national attractions begin to finally open their doors to the public and even allow full capacity, the long-overdue list of activities to do this summer and beyond is miles long. A key factor in experiencing many of these ventures requires some time in your car, and hopefully, it’s an EV — perhaps even a Tesla. Below is a detailed breakdown of what EVs garner the lowest cost per mile, as well as a list of the most (and least) affordable states to charge and drive your Tesla.

Table of contents

How the data was gathered

To help determine the data used for the charts below, Zutobi put together an extensive EV miles report. To begin, the study had to determine the cost of electricity in the US as a whole but also in each individual state. These numbers were collected from the US Energy Information Administration.

The study then used this individual state data compared to a variety of different EVs’ battery capacity (kW) and actual range (miles). This data was sourced from the EV database to determine each EV’s estimated cost to charge, estimated cost per mile, estimated cost per 100 miles, and miles per $100.

Using all of the data combined, it can be determined which EVs boast the lowest cost per mile driven. Spoiler alert: Tesla is currently producing some of the most affordable vehicles on the road today based on cost per mile, but there are plenty of competitors mere cents behind them.

Below, you will find all the relevant data accompanied by tables and explanations. Let’s begin with what EVs currently sit as the best in the US for cost per mile and miles per $100.

Most affordable Tesla
Source: Zutobi

Tesla Model 3 the most affordable in terms of miles

From the data cited above, Tesla’s Model 3 sedan in multiple trims claims the top three spots in the US as the most affordable EV in terms of cost per mile.

As you can see in the chart, the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus wins in every category, all on top of a 50 kW battery. With a “real range” of 210 miles, the data has determined that Model 3 SRP owners pay about $.030 per mile driven, which is just over $3.00 every 100 miles.

For $100, drivers can travel over 3,300 miles. For added texture, the drive from Los Angeles to New York City is about 2,800 miles. You’ll still need to stop plenty along the way, but that shouldn’t be too difficult on Tesla’s ever-growing Supercharger network.

The Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus sits as the most affordable ride per mile, followed by its alternative powertrains. However, there are plenty of other contenders out there nipping at the heels of Tesla’s most affordable EV. Below is a table of how other EV makes and models stack up.

How the other EVs ranked in cost per mile

Most affordable Tesla
Source: Zutobi

The most affordable states to drive a Tesla

Now that we’ve determined that the Tesla Model 3 will save you the most quiche per mile (sorry, Hyundai, so close!), we can use US electricity data to determine which state will allow you to drive further for the lowest cost. You may still have to pay for some tolls, though!

Here are the top three most affordable states in the US to drive a Model 3 Standard Range Plus EV. We will give you a hint: it’s not Hawaii.

#1: Oklahoma – The Sooner State topped the list as the most affordable place to charge and drive your Tesla in the US. According to the US data, the average price of electricity is $0.0892 per kWh, bringing the cost to fully charge the Tesla’s 50 kW battery around $4.46.

The estimated cost per mile comes out to $.021, which translates to $2.21 per 100 miles driven within state lines. That’s a total of 4,709 miles of range on only $100. Oklahoma is the 20th largest state in the US, and with a land area of nearly 69,000 miles, there is plenty of room to drive around and brag about how much money you’re saving.

#2: Missouri – The birthplace of Anheuser-Busch and the backdrop to Ozark now has a new claim to fame — the second most affordable state to drive your Tesla in. The average price of electricity is $0.0938 per kWh, meaning you can fully charge your Model 3 for about $4.69.

Getting more granular, the estimated cost per mile comes out to $.022, totaling $2.23 in funds for 100 miles of travel. For $100, you can travel 4,478 miles – plenty of range to drive around and see all the Show-Me State has to offer. I’d recommend skipping St. Louis and driving to a real city like Chicago — although Illinois is wayyy down at spot number 33 on the list below.

#3: Nebraska – The Cornhusker state is now one of the top three most affordable states to drive your Tesla. The average price of electricity just trails Missouri at $0.0941 per kWh, allowing Nebraskans to fully juice up their new Model 3 for $4.71, just two cents more than its neighbor Missouri.

At an estimated cost per mile of $0.022, you can charge 100 miles of range for just $2.24. For only $100 smackeroos, you would be able to see all of the farmland Nebraska has to offer, with an estimated range of 4,463 miles. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been to Nebraska, but you’ll probably get a good idea of what it looks like after about 100 miles. Don’t fret though Nebraska, Lady Gaga still loves ya.

The least affordable states to drive a Tesla

You’ve seen the best states for your Tesla — in a most affordable sense, at least. Now it’s time to see what states may not be so cost-effective for you and your EV travels. If you’re wondering why there are 51 spots, note that this data also includes Washington D.C. (make it a state already!) Here are the bottom three:

#49: Massachusetts – Unfortunately, the Baked Bean State has some of the most expensive electricity in the country, so EV owners might want to think twice before charging up. In fact, the average price of electricity is $0.2232 per kWh, more than double the top of our list. That’s $11.16 to fully charge your Model 3.

At an estimated cost per mile of $0.053, you’re looking at 100 miles of range for $5.31. With $100, you’d only garner a range of 1,881 in the Bay State. At least Bean town still has the Boston cream pie, so it’s not all bad — unless you don’t like stuffed pastries, then there’s probably nothing else to see in Massachusetts. It’s not that old of a state, is it?

#50: Rhode Island – The second least affordable state is Rhode Island, which is also the nation’s smallest. The average cost of electricity in “Little Rhody” is $0.2341 per kWh, which would cost you $11.71 to fully charge Tesla’s most affordable EV, the Model 3.

Cost per mile equals $0.056, just above Massachusetts, so you’re looking at 100 miles of range for… you guessed it, $5.61. Have $100 to burn on a road trip in the Northeast? Well, that will get you 1,794 miles of range, which is plenty to survey every inch of the 1,214 square miles the state has to offer.

#51: Hawaii – Aloha, indeed. The bottom of the list is one of the States’ prettiest, Hawaii. The Aloha State remains quite isolated from its American siblings, so its average cost of electricity reflects that. You’re looking at a whopping $0.3055 per kWh and $15.28 to charge your Tesla each time.

That’s $0.073 per mile or $7.27 for 100 miles of range. For 100 American dollars, you can drive for 1,375 miles. The biggest decision will be to decide which island to put your EV. I’d recommend the north shore of Oahu, personally. Mahalo!

How all 50 states (and D.C.) stack up

Most affordable Tesla
Source: Zutobi

Breaking down the data

As you can see from the chart above, there are three clear leaders for the most affordable state to charge your Tesla, but there are several other states just cents behind. If you live in one of the bottom states on the list, we apologize. If you live in Hawaii, you’re probably not too worried because… well, you live in Hawaii.

Regardless of where you are charging, you are still saving money in the long run compared to those archaic ICE vehicles, right? Look at you being green- and carbon-conscious. We’re so proud.

You should now be more informed regarding (about) how much electricity costs in your state and where the most affordable spot to move might be if you’re planning to buy that second Tesla.


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Gail Porter opens up about being homeless: ‘Don’t be proud – keep asking for help’

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Gail Porter opens up about being homeless: 'Don't be proud - keep asking for help'

Gail Porter was someone you would see regularly on big TV shows such as Top Of The Pops and Live & Kicking in the 1990s and 2000s, as well as on the cover of lads mags – famously the FHM cover that saw her naked image projected, without her prior knowledge, on to the Houses of Parliament.

But when she was diagnosed with alopecia in the mid-2000s, after already suffering with mental health problems, her TV work dried up.

“My hair fell out, nobody wanted to touch me with a barge pole,” she tells Sky News. “I didn’t want to wear a wig because I find them uncomfortable. And then suddenly the only jobs you’re getting offered are to go on and talk about being bald.”

Gail Porter arrives for the start of Celebrity Big Brother in 2015
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Gail Porter appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015

After bouts of depression, self-harm, anorexia and a breakdown – and at one point being sectioned – the star found herself with nowhere to go about eight years ago. She had no work, and an unexpected tax bill “completely scuppered me. I was done”.

Porter, 52, says she spent time moving between friends’ spare bedrooms and sofas. “And there were a couple of nights on Hampstead Heath, just sitting, thinking: ‘I’ve got no idea where to go’. It was a very long six months, but I managed to get back on my feet again.”

Porter entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in August 2015, appearing alongside stars including Janice Dickinson, Bobby Davro and Natasha Hamilton, and was able to rent the flat in London she is living in today. “I’m happy to have a roof over my head,” she says.

In recent years, the star has campaigned to raise awareness of those facing homelessness and is now working with the Good Things Foundation, a digital charity, and Virgin Media O2 to highlight The National Databank – described as similar to a foodbank, but for free mobile data, texts, and calls.

Gail Porter sits in an installation by Single Homeless Project under Camden Lock bridge, designed to raise awareness of Londoners facing homelessness over the festive period
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The star worked with the Single Homeless Project before Christmas

‘I never thought in a million years it would get this bad’

The charity says demand for the National Databank is increasing, with its website already receiving almost double the number of visits in 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, as the cost of living crisis continues.

Virgin Media O2 surveyed 2,000 adults in the UK, and say more than a third (35%) believe they are only one pay slip away from finding themselves in extremely difficult financial hardship.

“That is such a frightening statistic,” says Porter. “I never thought in a million years it would get to this bad with me. And then it was just spiralling out of control.

“I was trying to apply for jobs, but without my phone or a laptop… I was walking round with a black bin liner with my clothes. ‘Excuse me! You got any jobs going in the bookshop? Or you got any jobs going in the library?’ I just want to work anywhere, I don’t care. It was very difficult for me, traipsing around everywhere with a bag, just trying to get myself back on my feet.”

Read more:
Millions of mobile phone users face higher bills
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Porter found herself struggling to access some of the everyday services most take for granted. “I did have a little bit of data on my phone… then when that ran out, suddenly I thought, my gosh, can someone help me get somewhere to stay? Can I go to the doctor’s to talk to somebody about how I’m feeling mentally? Can I contact a friend?”

Because of her fame, the assumption by those around her was that she would be okay.

“All those magazines I did, I never got a penny… not everything is as lucrative as it seems.”

Porter says she appeared on shows for minimum pay and even without payment. “So you’d see me doing lots and lots of things… that kind of went on for quite a long time. You can’t really work for free all the time.”

Moving to stand-up comedy

Life is great now, she says, and there’s a new challenge on the cards – Porter, who is Scottish, is due to launch her stand-up comedy career at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later this year.

“I have good days and bad days,” she says when I ask if she’s feeling nervous. “Sometimes I think, this is going to be great, what could possibly go wrong? And then sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with the sweats. What was I thinking of? And it’s my hometown so my friends have said they’ll come.”

Read more on Sky News:
Nearly 100,000 prepayment energy meters forcibly installed last year

Grocery inflation hits new record high – and worse is to come

Porter says she doesn’t want to give too much away, but the show will draw on her personal experiences of mental health struggles and her homelessness.

“Now that I’m on my feet again, I can laugh about certain things,” she says. “So, lots of little stories about losing my hair, being sectioned, all sorts of little funny things. Hopefully people will enjoy it.”

Before she goes, Porter offers advice to anyone who is going through similar experiences to hers – and urges people in need to find their local databank.

“You’re not on your own,” she says. “Don’t be proud. You just have to swallow that and say, you know what? It’s happened. The best thing I can do is go onwards and upwards – and keep asking for help.”

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‘Split-screening’ and other phone habits reveal how children are watching even more videos

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'Split-screening' and other phone habits reveal how children are watching even more videos

Increasing numbers of children are “split-screening” so that they can watch multiple social media videos at a time, new research suggests.

Not content with their endless feeds of single attention-sapping clips on apps like TikTok and Instagram, many youngsters are now dividing their smartphone screens to see two or more simultaneously.

Some even stack videos on top of one another, according to Ofcom‘s report into children’s relationship with media.

In some cases, the clips they watch simultaneously do not even have an obvious connection.

The regulator said the habit appears to be an evolution of “multi-screening” behaviour seen in its previous research, where children reported difficulties in focusing on one screen-based activity at a time.

Ofcom’s report found that 96% of children aged three to 17 watch online videos.

More than half (58%) watch livestreamed content, rising to 80% among 16 and 17-year-olds.

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Short-form videos growing in popularity

While nine in 10 children watch YouTube, increasing numbers are now turning to platforms dedicated to short-form videos like TikTok (53%) and Snapchat (46%).

Both apps have introduced features to restrict how much children use the apps in the face of concerns about the impact excessive social media can have, with Snapchat giving parents access to their accounts.

TikTok has also been keen to promote its safety features, such as screen time limits, as it faces growing scrutiny across the Western world over data and privacy fears.

Ofcom said the most popular videos with children are engineered to grab attention with minimal effort, such as those which promise “commentary” or “reaction” to other content.

Less than a third of children post their own videos online, though, according to the report.

As social media content becomes increasingly well produced, with influencers kitting out their home studios with expensive equipment and software, youngsters are becoming more self-conscious about their online image.

Previous research has warned that children were over-dependent on “likes” to boost self-esteem.

Read more:
Kate Winslet on why social media worries her
These were the UK’s favourite TikTok videos of 2022

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Why is TikTok getting banned?

Older teens taking notice of screen time

But older teenagers and young adults are starting to take more notice of how much time they spend online.

Just over half of users aged 16 to 24 thought they spent too much time on social media, up from 42% in 2021.

They were also more likely to take deliberate breaks from certain apps or delete them altogether, Ofcom said.

The report comes as the government’s divisive Online Safety Bill makes its way through Westminster.

The wide-ranging legislation would give Ofcom the power to regulate internet content to keep people safe, including making companies liable for the content on their platforms.

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Gary Lineker wins £4.9m tax appeal against HMRC

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Gary Lineker wins £4.9m tax appeal against HMRC

Gary Lineker has won his £4.9m tax appeal against HMRC.

The Match Of The Day host was pursued for the cash by tax authorities, who said it should have been paid on income received between 2013 and 2018.

HMRC said Lineker, 62, should have been classed as an employee of the BBC and BT Sport for his presenting duties, rather than as a freelancer.

The bill came as part of legislation known as IR35, designed to crack down on tax avoidance by so-called disguised employees, who charge for their services via limited companies. The aim is for contractors or freelancers to pay broadly the same income tax and national insurance as an employee.

Lineker had maintained that all taxes were paid on his income via a partnership, Gary Lineker Media (GLM), set up with his ex-wife Danielle Bux in 2012.

His lawyer James Rivett KC told a preliminary hearing in London in February that the star had been “dragged through the papers accused of not paying income tax which has been paid”, and claimed there was a political element to the investigations.

Tribunal judge John Brooks has now found that while GLM was a partnership to which IR35 legislation applies, the appeal should be granted because contracts existed between the presenter and both the BBC and BT Sport.

More on Gary Lineker

The judge said: “As a matter of law, when Mr Lineker signed the 2013 BBC contract, the 2015 BBC contract and the BT Sport contract for the provision of his services, he did so as principal thereby contracting directly with the BBC and BT Sport.

“As such, the intermediaries legislation cannot apply – it is only applicable ‘where services are provided not under a contract directly between client and the worker’.

“In this case Mr Lineker’s services were provided under direct contracts with the BBC and BT Sport.

“Although such a conclusion might appear inconsistent with my conclusions that the intermediaries legislation can apply to partnerships… that is not the case.”

He added that he could “dispose of the entire appeal in the appellants’ favour and the appeal is therefore allowed”.

Following the decision, Lineker tweeted: “Thanks for all the congratulatory messages. I am pleased that the Tribunal has endorsed my contention that I have not failed to pay any taxes or National Insurance by reason of the IR35 rules.”

HMRC is considering appealing.

“The tribunal has confirmed the off-payroll rules apply to partnerships, as we have always said,” a spokesperson said. “However, we do not agree with its decision that the rules cannot apply in this case and we’re considering an appeal.”

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The HMRC spokesperson added: “It is our duty to ensure everyone pays the right tax under the law, regardless of wealth or status.”

The Lineker-BBC row

Lineker is Match Of The Day’s longest-serving presenter and has been on the football show since the 1990s following a successful football career for clubs including Leicester City, Tottenham and Barcelona, as well as for England.

Earlier in March, the star was forced off air in a row over a tweet criticising the government’s migration policy, with his co-presenters standing down from the show in solidarity.

He returned the following week following talks with the BBC, which has announced a review, led by an independent expert, on its social media guidance – with a focus on how it applies to freelancers outside news and current affairs.

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What are the BBC impartiality rules?

The football pundit topped the BBC’s highest paid star list in 2022, earning between £1,350,000 and £1,354,999 for his work on Match Of The Day, Sports Personality Of The Year, and other programmes.

Lineker’s tax case follows similar attempts by HMRC to target other broadcasters including Lorraine Kelly and Kaye Adams.

As the decision on the presenter’s appeal was announced, former BBC director-general Lord Birt appeared before the digital, culture, media and sport committee (DCMS) as part of a session in the wake of his three-day Match Of The Day suspension.

He told the hearing that presenters such as Lineker who are “inextricably bound up with an important BBC programme” should have to abide by impartiality rules.

Asked whether he thought viewers appreciated the difference between news staff and freelancers, Lord Birt said: “I am sure the public doesn’t even think about it.

“What it knows is that this (Match Of The Day) is one of the most important BBC programmes and this is a well established presenter.

“And yes, he was one of England’s great centre-forwards but let’s not kid ourselves. His status, his standing and his power arises above all else from presenting this extremely important programme.”

Acknowledging public opinion over Lineker’s tweet was split, Lord Birt added: “I don’t ever think the damage in respect to the BBC is terminal because it has got too much credit in the bank.”

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