The Real Cost of Gas vs. Electric Utility Vehicles: What Are Agricultural Operators Actually Spending Per Mile?

Published by WorkOx Trucks

A Number Few Talk About — But You Should Know

Agricultural operators like ranchers and farmers are some of the most cost-conscious operators on the planet. They track feed prices, fuel prices, equipment hours, and yield per acre. They know what things cost because their margins demand it.

So if you're operating a gas-powered utility vehicle, or a fleet of them, here's a number that might surprise you: the average gas-powered utility vehicle costs between $0.28 and $0.42 per mile to operate when you account for everything, including fuel, oil, filters, spark plugs, belts, and routine service.

What's the cost of operating the average electric, three-wheel work vehicle? $0.04 to $0.08 per mile. You read that right. And over the course of a typical year of business, that gap translates directly to how much money stays in your pocket - or goes back into your operation.

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Why Most Cost Comparisons Miss the Point

When people compare gas to electric vehicles, they usually stop at the sticker price. There's a more important number to focus on.

You pay sticker price once. You pay operating costs every day your vehicles are running—and on a working ranch or farm, that's a lot of days.

The most effective comparison includes:

• Fuel cost per mile

• Oil and filter changes

• Spark plug and ignition system maintenance

• Air filter replacements

• Exhaust and carburetor service

• Belt and drive system wear

• Downtime cost when the vehicle is out of service

When you add up all of these expenses, the picture changes significantly.

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The Real Numbers: Side by Side

Let's build this out using realistic figures for an agricultural operation.

Fuel and Energy Cost Per Mile

• Gas UTV (average 20–25 mpg on farm terrain): At $3.50/gallon, that's roughly $0.14 to $0.18 per mile in fuel alone—before you even touch a wrench.

• Electric, three-wheeler: A full charge covering 30–50 miles costs approximately $1.50 to $2.50 in electricity at average US rates. That works out to $0.03 to $0.06 per mile in energy costs.

The gap: in a gas vehicle, fuel alone costs 3–5x more per mile.

Annual Maintenance Costs

Gas UTV (moderate use, 3,000–5,000 miles/year on a working property):

Maintenance Item	Annual Estimate
Oil and filter changes (3–4x/year)	$120–$180
Air filter	$30–$60
Spark plugs	$20–$40
Fuel filter	$20–$35
Belt replacement (every 2–3 yrs)	$80–$150 averaged annually
Carburetor service	$60–$120
Miscellaneous wear items	$50–$100
Total estimated annual maintenance	$380–$685

Electric three-wheel work vehicle (same use level):

Maintenance Item	Annual Estimate
Tire inspection and rotation	$0–$40
Brake inspection	$0–$30
Battery pack maintenance	$0 (built into charging habit)
Miscellaneous wear items	$20–$50
Total estimated annual maintenance	$20–$120

The gap: electric, three-wheel trucks cost 4–6x less per year.

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The Five-Year Picture

Let's run a five-year operating cost comparison for one vehicle working a typical agricultural operation at 4,000 miles per year:

Cost Category	Gas UTV (5 Years)	Electric, Three-Wheeler (5 Years)
Fuel / Energy	$2,800–$3,600	$240–$480
Maintenance	$1,900–$3,425	$100–$600
Downtime (est. 3–5 days/yr at $200/day)	$3,000–$5,000	$300–$750
5-Year Total Operating Cost	$7,700–$12,025	$640–$1,830

Not even accounting for the lower upfront purchase price on an an electric, utility vehicle like the WorkOx truck, the five-year operating savings range from $6,000 to over $10,000 per vehicle.

If you're running a small fleet of three to five vehicles across your property—that's significant money.

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The Hidden Cost Often Overlooked: Downtime

Here's what agricultural operators know better than anyone: when a piece of equipment goes down in the middle of operations, the cost is much more than just the repair bill.

It's the hours lost. The tasks that didn't get done. The second vehicle you had to pull off another job.

Gas-powered UTVs have more components that fail, from carburetors and fuel systems to ignition systems, belts, and cooling systems.

Electric vehicles have much fewer moving parts. Fewer parts means fewer failures. Fewer failures means more days your vehicle is working instead of waiting on a parts order.

On ranches, farms and industrial operations, uptime is money.

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What About Charging? Is That Really Practical on a Ranch or Farm?

This question is a common one - and a fair one.

The answer is simpler than most people expect. For example, WorkOx Trucks charge from a standard 120V outlet. The same outlet in your barn, shop, or equipment shed. No special infrastructure. No charging station installation. Plug in your WorkOx at the end of the workday, and it's ready the next morning.

For operations in remote areas without reliable grid access, solar charging setups work well with these vehicles given their low energy consumption. A modest solar panel array can keep a small fleet charged year-round at minimal ongoing cost.

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Real Talk: When Does the Gas Vehicle Still Make Sense?

Honesty matters here. Electric, three-wheel utility vehicles are the right choice for the daily needs of most agricultural operations—moving feed, checking fence lines, hauling tools and supplies across the property, managing livestock movement, and covering the routine miles that add up every day.

If your daily or routine tasks require:

• Extended range beyond 40–60 miles in a single stretch without access to charging

• Extremely heavy towing or hauling beyond 1-2 tons

• Operations in extreme sub-freezing temperatures for extended periods

Then, a gas vehicle may still be appropriate.

The smart approach for most agricultural operations is a mixed fleet: electric, three-wheelers covering the high-frequency daily work, and a larger gas or diesel vehicle reserved for specific heavy tasks that demand it.

With a mixed fleet of WorkOx Trucks and gas UTVs, you can maximize savings while keeping the operational flexibility your property requires.

WorkOx WX6-C Outlaw - an electric utility beast

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The Bottom Line for Ranchers and Farmers

The math is straightforward. The operating cost advantage of electric, three-wheel utility vehicles is substantial. And for operations that run tight margins and demand that every dollar is spent wisely, that cost saving matters.

That's why WorkOx electric, three-wheel trucks are ideal for agricultural operations—their payload capacity, durability, and no-nonsense design meet or exceed what working land demands. Without the fuel bill. Without the maintenance headaches. Without the downtime.

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See What WorkOx Trucks Can Do for Your Operation

Contact us at workoxtrucks@gmail.com or through our website www.workoxtrucks.com to learn more about how our electric, three-wheel utility vehicles are ideally suited for your agriculturaal, personal & commercial operations.

WorkOx Trucks is a brand of Luck e-Carts LLC, an Arizona-based supplier of electric, three-wheel utility vehicles.