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Auto · 6 min read · Last updated September 2026
Worked example: EV at 15 kWh/100 km (0.15 kWh/km) × 8/unit = 1.20/km. Petrol at 15 km/L and 100/L = 100 ÷ 15 = 6.67/km. At 15,000 km/year: EV 18,000 vs petrol 100,000 → 82,000/year saved on energy alone.
| Factor | Effect on the comparison |
|---|---|
| Purchase premium | EVs often cost more upfront — part of the 82,000 saving repays that gap |
| Charging access | Home charging at domestic rates is the cheap case; public fast charging can cost 2–3× more per kWh |
| Maintenance | EVs cut oil changes and brake wear; tyres and insurance are comparable |
| Battery & resale | Degradation uncertainty affects resale value both ways |
| Annual distance | The saving scales linearly — 5,000 km/yr shrinks it to ~27,000 |
High-mileage drivers with home charging see the fastest payback on the purchase premium; low-mileage drivers relying on public fast charging may never close it. Compute your own case with the EV Charging Cost and Fuel Cost calculators — and the EV vs Petrol comparison puts both sides in one output.
On energy alone, almost always: 1.20/km at domestic charging rates vs 6.67/km for a 15 km/L petrol car at 100/L. Whether the total wins depends on purchase premium, charging access and how many km you drive.
Multiply energy use per km by your electricity price. 15 kWh/100 km = 0.15 kWh/km; at 8 per unit that is 1.20 per km.
At 15,000 km/year in the worked example: 18,000 charging vs 100,000 in petrol — 82,000. Scale linearly with your distance and local prices.
Yes — public DC fast charging typically costs 2–3× domestic rates per kWh, pushing EV cost/km toward 2.5–3.5. Frequent fast-charge users should model that rate, not the home rate.