2024 Toyota RAV4 LE vs 2024 Tesla Model Y RWD
Fuel economy, annual cost, and emissions compared side by side, based on official EPA data.
Tesla Model Y is more fuel efficient: 120 MPGe combined versus 30 MPG for the Toyota RAV4.
Spec comparison
| Spec | 2024 Toyota RAV4 LE | 2024 Tesla Model Y RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Combined fuel economy | 30 MPG | 120 MPGe |
| City / highway | 27 / 35 MPG | 128 / 112 MPGe |
| Annual fuel cost estimate | $2,000 | $650 |
| CO2 emissions | 292 g/mi | 0 g/mi |
| Tank size | Not available from the EPA fuel economy data source used in this phase. To be sourced from manufacturer specifications in a future update. | Not applicable. This is a fully electric vehicle with no fuel tank. |
How these compare
Toyota RAV4 and Tesla Model Y get cross shopped by buyers weighing a familiar gasoline vehicle against an electric alternative. Comparing 30 MPG to 120 MPGe directly is a comparison of efficiency, not cost, since MPGe converts electricity into a gasoline equivalent unit rather than what you will actually pay. EPA's own annual fuel cost estimate, which does account for gasoline and electricity being priced differently, puts the Toyota RAV4 at $2,000 a year against $650 for the Tesla Model Y, both assuming 15,000 miles a year at EPA's national average fuel prices. Use the EV versus gas comparator linked below for a cost per mile estimate with your own local prices.
Compare these two on cost per mile with the EV vs gas comparatorCost over time
That annual gap compounds the longer you own the vehicle. Over three years of ownership at the same 15,000 miles a year assumption, the fuel cost difference between the Toyota RAV4 and the Tesla Model Y grows to roughly $4,050; over five years, it's closer to $6,750. These figures assume EPA's flat national average fuel price throughout, so treat them as a directional estimate rather than a precise forecast, since real fuel prices rise and fall over any multi-year period.
Emissions over time
At 15,000 miles a year, that emissions gap works out to about 0.0 metric tons of tailpipe CO2 annually for the Tesla Model Y versus 4.4 metric tons for the Toyota RAV4, a difference of roughly 4.4 metric tons a year. Over a typical five to seven year ownership period, that adds up to several metric tons of difference in direct tailpipe emissions alone, before accounting for how the electricity or fuel itself was produced.
Range and refueling
Neither vehicle here uses a conventional fuel tank, so a fill-up range comparison doesn't apply directly to either. Charging or refueling speed and availability matter more for day to day convenience in this case than a simple range figure.
Frequently asked questions
The Tesla Model Y is, rated at 120 MPGe combined versus 30 MPG for the Toyota RAV4, a 300% difference.
Not necessarily. Fuel is only one part of ownership cost alongside purchase price, insurance, financing, and maintenance. A meaningfully lower purchase price or insurance premium on the less efficient vehicle can outweigh its higher fuel cost depending on how many miles you drive each year and how long you plan to keep it.
EPA's own estimate, assuming 15,000 miles a year at each vehicle's combined rating and EPA's assumed national average fuel price, puts the Toyota RAV4 at $2,000 a year and the Tesla Model Y at $650 a year, a gap of roughly $1,350. Your own annual cost will differ based on your actual mileage and local fuel price.
The Tesla Model Y, at 0 grams of CO2 per mile versus 292 for the Toyota RAV4. CO2 emissions are calculated directly from fuel consumed, so the vehicle with better fuel economy always has the lower emissions rating within the same fuel type.
Not on its own. MPG and MPGe both measure energy efficiency, but gasoline and electricity are priced completely independently, so an efficiency comparison alone doesn't tell you what either will actually cost to drive. Use the EV versus gas comparator linked above, which converts both to cost per mile using your own local gas and electricity prices instead.
It can shift the real comparison. The Toyota RAV4 shows a 8 MPG spread between its city and highway ratings (27 city, 35 highway), while the Tesla Model Y shows a 16 MPGe spread (128 city, 112 highway). If your driving leans heavily toward one condition rather than a typical mix, comparing the relevant city or highway figure directly can be more useful than the blended combined rating used above.
The percentage efficiency gap between the Toyota RAV4 and the Tesla Model Y stays the same regardless of mileage, but the dollar amount scales directly with how much you actually drive. A driver covering 25,000 miles a year would see roughly 67% more of the annual cost gap shown above, while someone driving 7,500 miles a year would see about half of it.