In the spring of 2026, the American driver faces yet another energy price shock. The ongoing U.S.-involved conflict with Iran, which began in late February, has disrupted critical oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. This has driven national average gasoline prices up more than 50 percent—from around $2.94 per gallon pre-war to $4.50–$4.62 per gallon as of mid-May. The corporatist establishment—Big Government allied with Big Oil, Big Auto, Big Utility, and their allies in Washington—continues to insist that electric vehicles (EVs) represent the path to “resiliency” against such fluctuations. But does the data from this current crisis support that claim?
Let us examine the question directly: During this recent gasoline price spike caused by the war, has the cost to run an electric vehicle remained the same relative to gas-powered cars, or have EVs actually saved money?
The numbers reveal that EVs have delivered clear short-term savings on a per-mile basis. A typical gas-powered light-duty vehicle achieves 25–30 miles per gallon. At today’s prices near $4.50 per gallon, that translates to roughly 15–18 cents per mile. Meanwhile, the average EV consumes about 0.30 kWh per mile (equivalent to roughly 3.3 miles per kWh). With residential electricity rates holding near 18 cents per kWh, the per-mile energy cost for an EV remains approximately 5–6 cents—creating a widening advantage as gasoline surged. In absolute terms, EVs are shielding many drivers from the worst of this war-induced spike.
On the surface, this appears to validate the establishment narrative of EV resiliency. Yet a closer, more honest analysis shows this advantage is temporary, distorted, and ultimately part of a larger corporatist design that offers no genuine long-term economic protection or freedom for the American driver.
Electricity prices have not spiked alongside gasoline because the U.S. power grid derives only a tiny fraction of its generation from petroleum. However, residential electricity rates have climbed steadily—up about 7.4 percent year-over-year as of early 2026 and projected to continue rising through at least the end of the year. These increases stem directly from federal mandates, subsidies, and “green energy” policies that force utilities to invest billions in grid upgrades, intermittent renewables, and infrastructure to support widespread EV adoption. The very policies pushed by the two-party establishment are baking higher long-term electricity costs into every American’s budget.
Moreover, the apparent short-term savings mask deeper structural problems. EV “fuel” now ties drivers to a centralized, regulated grid controlled by utility monopolies and their corporate partners—entities that receive billions in taxpayer subsidies and rate-base guarantees. One major blackout, cyber incident, or policy-driven rate hike, and the mobility you thought you owned becomes dependent on the same crony system that engineered the crisis. Gas vehicles, by contrast, allow refueling from a decentralized network with far greater domestic production flexibility.
The full picture of ownership costs further undermines any claim of economic superiority. EVs carry higher upfront prices, elevated insurance premiums, and expensive battery replacements that often erase per-mile fuel advantages over time. These realities are frequently obscured by massive federal tax credits and mandates that function as corporate welfare for manufacturers like Tesla, GM, and Ford—handouts that distort market signals and force taxpayers to subsidize the transition.
This is classic corporatism in action: Government power merged with corporate interest to limit consumer choice, erode personal independence, and redirect economic flows into favored hands. The establishment does not offer true resiliency through competition or innovation; it offers controlled dependency dressed up as progress. During this Iran war–driven gasoline spike, EVs may save on fuel in the moment, but they do not deliver lasting protection against energy price fluctuations. Instead, they accelerate America’s shift toward a politicized energy system where everyday drivers bear the costs while elites capture the benefits.
Americans deserve real energy independence and genuine market-driven options—not mandates that trade one form of volatility for another, more permanent form of control. Reject the corporatist EV push. Demand policies that prioritize affordable, decentralized mobility and true competition.
Your wallet, your freedom, and the future of American driving depend on it.
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