Electric vs petrol car running cost
Charged at home on a 7p EV tariff, an electric car doing 7,000 miles a year costs about £168.44 in electricity, against £1,233 in petrol for a 45 mpg car.
- Petrol or diesel a year
- £1,233
- Electric a year
- £168.44
- Petrol per mile
- 17.6p
- Electric per mile
- 2.4p
7,000 miles a year. Fuel only: excludes tax, insurance, servicing and the price of the car.
Fuel and charging only. A negative saving means electric costs more at these rates.
Yearly fuel cost compared
The same mileage at different ways of charging.
How we calculate this
For the petrol or diesel car, we convert mpg to litres per mile (a UK gallon is 4.546 litres) and multiply by the fuel price. For the electric car, we divide the electricity rate by its miles per kWh and add the energy lost while charging.
Where you charge makes the biggest difference. Overnight on an EV tariff is far cheaper than the standard rate, and public rapid chargers can cost more than petrol.
Questions people ask
Is an electric car cheaper to run than petrol?
Usually, if you charge at home. On a 7p EV tariff an electric car costs about 2.4p a mile, against 17.6p for a 45 mpg petrol car. Relying on public rapid chargers can wipe out the saving.
What about other running costs?
This compares fuel only. Electric cars often have lower servicing costs, but insurance, tyres and the price of the car itself vary. Since April 2025 electric cars also pay vehicle tax.
Will electric cars pay a per-mile charge?
The government has announced plans for a per-mile charge on electric cars from 2028. Details may change, so this calculator doesn’t include it yet.
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