The headline question for most buyers is simple: is an electric car really cheaper to run than a petrol one? In most cases the answer is yes, but how much cheaper depends on three numbers you can check in minutes.
1. How much you drive
Running-cost savings scale with distance. A driver covering 20,000 km a year saves far more than someone doing 5,000 km, which is why high-mileage drivers usually reach break-even first.
2. Your electricity price
Charging at home overnight is typically the cheapest way to fuel an EV. Public fast charging can cost several times more per kWh, so the share of charging you do at home matters a lot.
3. The purchase price gap
EVs often cost more to buy. The break-even point is the number of years of running-cost savings needed to cover that gap, and it is the number to watch.
Work it out for your own situation
Use our EV vs petrol cost comparison calculator to enter your own distance, fuel price and electricity tariff. For a quick per-distance figure try the cost per mile/km calculator.
Don't forget the smaller items: insurance, tyres, registration and resale value all feed into the true cost, which our total cost of ownership calculator covers.