EV vs Petrol Running Cost Calculator

Compare the annual running cost of an electric car versus a petrol equivalent. Uses current UK electricity rates and pump prices, accounting for home and public charging.

Last updated: April 2026

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Petrol car
Electric car
If you can charge at home overnight, this is typically low (10–20%).
EV vs Petrol comparison
Annual saving with EV
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Petrol
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Electric
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Charge cost per mile (EV) -
5-year running cost saving -

EV vs petrol running costs explained

The running cost comparison between an electric vehicle and a petrol equivalent hinges primarily on your charging behaviour. Charging at home overnight on a standard tariff (around 24p/kWh) gives a typical EV a cost of around 7p per mile. A petrol car achieving 38 MPG at 148p per litre costs around 17p per mile. Over 10,000 miles per year the difference is approximately £1,000.

However, if you rely heavily on public rapid chargers (60–80p/kWh), the cost per mile for an EV can match or exceed petrol. The economics of EV ownership are therefore strongly dependent on home charging access. Flat dwellers and those without a driveway face a materially different cost equation than homeowners with a dedicated home charger.

Maintenance savings

EVs have significantly fewer moving parts than petrol cars - no clutch, exhaust, timing belt, spark plugs, or oil changes. Annual servicing costs for an EV are typically £150–£300 versus £400–£600 for a petrol car. Brake wear is also reduced through regenerative braking. These maintenance savings partially offset higher insurance premiums, which remain elevated for EVs due to high repair costs for battery damage and specialist parts.

Road tax (VED) changes from April 2025

From April 2025, EVs became subject to Vehicle Excise Duty for the first time, ending the previous exemption. New EVs pay the standard first-year rate based on CO2 emissions (£10 for zero-emission vehicles in year one) then the standard rate of £190 per year from year two. This removes one of the running cost advantages EVs previously held over petrol vehicles.

Frequently asked questions

A 7kW home wallbox (the most common domestic installation) charges a typical 60kWh battery from near-empty to full in around 8–9 hours overnight. Most drivers do not charge from empty - plugging in each evening and topping up from 20–30% to 80–90% takes 5–6 hours. A standard 3-pin plug (2.3kW) takes significantly longer - around 24–30 hours for a full charge - making a wallbox almost essential for practical EV ownership. Wallbox installation costs around £800–£1,200 but the OZEV grant (£350 for eligible homeowners) reduces this.
No - EVs currently carry higher insurance premiums than equivalent petrol cars, typically 10–25% more expensive. The main reasons are higher repair costs (specialist parts, battery damage assessment), higher purchase prices increasing replacement value, and a less developed repair network. Insurance premiums for EVs have been falling as the market matures and repairers gain experience, but they remain higher on average in 2025.
The running cost advantage of EVs is likely to grow over time as electricity prices fall relative to petrol (driven by increased renewable generation) and battery costs continue to decline. The UK government's net zero commitments and the phase-out of new petrol and diesel car sales from 2035 make EV adoption structurally inevitable. For buyers planning to keep a car for 5–10 years, EVs are increasingly compelling on pure running cost grounds - particularly for higher-mileage drivers where the per-mile fuel saving compounds most significantly.

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