Electric Car vs Petrol Car: Total Cost Compared

Is it cheaper to drive electric or petrol in the UK? Compare the costs of buying, insuring, fueling, and maintaining an EV versus a traditional petrol car.

Calculate Your Car Costs

Key Differences

Electric cars (EVs) and petrol cars have different cost structures. EVs typically have a higher purchase price but lower running costs due to cheaper electricity and reduced maintenance. Petrol cars are cheaper to buy but more expensive to fuel and maintain.

Electric Car (EV)

Higher purchase price
Lower running costs (electricity vs petrol)
Reduced maintenance (fewer moving parts)
Tax benefits (4% company car BIK in 2026/27, £10 first-year VED — though EVs pay the £200 standard rate from year two)
Environmentally friendly

Petrol Car

Lower purchase price
Higher running costs (petrol vs electricity)
More maintenance required
Higher tax (CO₂-based first-year VED up to £5,690, £18/day London Congestion Charge, company car BIK up to 37%)
Higher emissions

Cost Breakdown

Here's a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with owning an electric car versus a petrol car:

Cost Category	Electric Car (EV)	Petrol Car
Purchase Price	£25,000 - £50,000	£15,000 - £35,000
Fuel/Electricity Cost (per year)	£300 - £800 (8.5p/kWh EV tariff to 25p/kWh standard)	£1,200 - £2,500 (petrol ~£1.42/litre)
Maintenance Cost (per year)	£150 - £300	£300 - £600
Road Tax (VED), 2026/27	£10 first year, then £200/year	£280 - £560 first year for typical 76–150 g/km cars, then £200/year
Expensive car supplement (list price over £40,000)	£440/year in years 2-6	£440/year in years 2-6
Insurance Cost (per year)	£300 - £600	£300 - £600
London Congestion Charge	£13.50 per day (25% Cleaner Vehicle Discount via Auto Pay)	£18 per day
Depreciation (per year)	£2,000 - £4,000	£1,500 - £3,000
Other Costs (tyres, servicing)	£200 - £400	£200 - £400
Total Cost (per year)	£3,050 - £6,300	£3,700 - £7,700

Example Scenario

Let's compare the 5-year cost of ownership for a Nissan Leaf (electric) versus a Ford Focus (petrol) at 10,000 miles a year, using 2026/27 VED rates. Cost of ownership counts depreciation plus running costs — not the full purchase price, since you get value back on resale.

Nissan Leaf (Electric)

Purchase Price: £28,000
Depreciation (5 years): £10,000
Electricity (5 years): £2,500
Maintenance (5 years): £1,000
Road Tax (5 years): £810 (£10 first year + 4 × £200)
Insurance (5 years): £2,000
Cost of ownership (5 years): £16,310

Ford Focus (Petrol)

Purchase Price: £20,000
Depreciation (5 years): £7,500
Petrol (5 years): £7,500
Maintenance (5 years): £2,000
Road Tax (5 years): £1,080 (£280 first year + 4 × £200)
Insurance (5 years): £2,000
Cost of ownership (5 years): £20,080

On these assumptions the EV is around £3,770 cheaper over 5 years — the higher purchase price and steeper depreciation are outweighed by roughly £5,000 less spent on energy and servicing. Swap in your own mileage, energy tariff and prices with the calculators below, as the result flips if you charge mainly at public rapid chargers or drive very low mileage.