Electric vs Gas Car Cost Calculator

Compares the yearly energy cost of an electric car with a petrol or diesel car and shows how many years the running-cost saving takes to make up a higher purchase price. It uses only the prices and figures you enter.

How to use

1. Enter the "Distance per year" and how many "Years to compare".
2. For the electric car, enter its efficiency, the "Share charged at home", the home and public electricity prices, its price and any subsidy you expect.
3. For the petrol or diesel car, enter its fuel economy, the "Fuel price" and its price. Add yearly upkeep for either car if you want.
4. Read the "Time to recover the price difference" at the top, then the yearly costs, the chart and the table under "If prices change".

How it works

• Yearly electricity = distance ÷ km per kWh × average price; yearly fuel = distance ÷ km per litre × fuel price per litre.
• Total cost after n years = purchase price + n × yearly running cost. The recovery time = price difference ÷ yearly saving.
• Taxes, insurance, financing and resale value are not included, and no subsidy rules are looked up. The starting prices are examples only.

Questions and answers

How long does it take for an electric car to pay for itself?

Divide the extra purchase price by the yearly saving. If the electric car costs 8,000,000 more after the subsidy and saves 1,280,000 a year, the difference is made up after 6.25 years.

Is an electric car cheaper per km than a petrol car?

Compare energy cost per km. At 5 km/kWh and 300 per kWh the electric car spends 60 per km; at 12.5 km/L and 1,650 per litre the petrol car spends 132 per km.

What if fuel or electricity prices change?

The table under "If prices change" repeats the comparison with each price 20 % lower and 20 % higher.

Can I use miles and mpg?

Yes. Switch the distance unit to mi, the fuel economy to mpg (US or UK) and the efficiency to mi/kWh or kWh/100 mi; the values are converted.