2018 head-to-head · Midsize Car
2018 Lexus ES Hybrid 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.
FWD · 2.5L 4-cyl · CVT · 40 MPG
The 2018 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 $699 a year to fuel (130 MPGe), versus $1,162 for the 2018 Lexus ES Hybrid (40 MPG). That's roughly $463 a year, or about $2,316 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 Hybrid
- Tesla Model 3
Side by side
| Lexus ES Hybrid | Tesla Model 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| $1,162 | Your annual fuel cost | $699 |
| 40 MPG | Combined efficiency | 130 MPGe |
| 40 MPG | City | 136 MPGe |
| 39 MPG | Highway | 123 MPGe |
| — | Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) | 25.9 kWh |
| — | Driving range | 310 mi |
| 100 cu ft | Passenger volume | 97 cu ft |
| 12 cu ft | Cargo volume | 15 cu ft |
| 223 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 0 g/mi |
| 9/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 10/10 |
| 9/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 10/10 |
| — | Charge time at 240V | 10 hrs |
| Hybrid | Powertrain | Electric |
| Regular gasoline | Fuel | Electricity |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | Engine / motor | Electric motor (202 kW) |
| CVT | 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 Hybrid vs Tesla Model 3 across model years
- Lexus ES Hybrid
- 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 Hybrid has more passenger space (100 vs. 97 cu ft); the Tesla Model 3 has more cargo space (15 vs. 12 cu ft).
Among 74 2018 midsize cars, the Lexus ES Hybrid ranks 17th and the Tesla Model 3 2nd 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 Hybrid; relying on DC fast chargers can erase it.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2018 Lexus ES Hybrid or the 2018 Tesla Model 3?
Measured by cost to drive, the Tesla Model 3. The Lexus ES Hybrid is rated 40 MPG combined and the Tesla Model 3 130 MPGe (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2018 Lexus ES Hybrid vs. the Tesla Model 3 per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, about $1,162 for the Lexus ES Hybrid and $699 for the Tesla Model 3.
Which has more cargo space?
The Tesla Model 3, with 15 cu ft of luggage volume versus 12 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).
Lexus ES Hybrid vs Tesla Model 3 in other years
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