RealCarCost — Know what your car really costs

EV vs Petrol True Cost Calculator

Don't compare only the price at the pump or the plug — understand the real cost. This weighs depreciation, energy or fuel, insurance, tax and servicing side by side, over however long and however far you actually drive.

Ownership period

Shared assumptions

Electric

EV

Illustrative estimate
£19,441
Adjust
Annual running costs
Petrol

Petrol

Illustrative estimate
£14,880
Adjust
Annual running costs
Headline result
Over 3 years and 30,000 miles, the EV is estimated to cost £559 less overall.

What drives the difference?

The biggest cost differences between the two cars:

Charging vs fuelEV cheaper by £1,849
DepreciationPetrol cheaper by £1,440
Servicing, tyres & otherEV cheaper by £450
EV — total cost breakdown
Depreciation£14,559
Charging£2,637
Insurance£2,250
VED£600
Servicing, tyres & other£1,050
Total cost£21,096
Effective monthly cost£586/mo
Cost per mile£0.70
Petrol — total cost breakdown
Depreciation£13,120
Fuel£4,485
Insurance£1,950
VED£600
Servicing, tyres & other£1,500
Total cost£21,655
Effective monthly cost£602/mo
Cost per mile£0.72

Energy, fuel and running-cost figures are adjustable defaults, not current live prices — update them to match your own tariff, local fuel prices and quotes for an accurate comparison.

Thinking about going electric?
See if a salary sacrifice scheme makes an EV cheaper than buying it yourself.
Try the salary sacrifice calculator

Methodology

Total cost = depreciation (purchase price minus estimated resale value) + energy or fuel + insurance + VED + servicing, tyres and other running costs over the term, plus any finance interest you enter. Energy cost splits your EV's charging between home and public rates using the percentage you set; fuel cost converts your annual mileage and MPG into UK gallons, then litres, at your entered pump price. See the methodology page for the depreciation and finance conventions used across every calculator on this site.

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Frequently asked questions

Why include depreciation when comparing running costs?

Depreciation is usually the single largest cost of owning any car — often larger than fuel or energy. Comparing EVs and petrol cars on running costs alone, without depreciation, gives a misleading picture of which is actually cheaper to own.

Why does the calculator ask for a home charging percentage?

Home charging is typically far cheaper per mile than public rapid charging. Two EV drivers with identical cars can have very different real running costs depending on how much of their charging happens at home versus on the public network — so it materially changes the total.

Are the electricity and petrol prices shown here accurate?

They're editable starting defaults, not live prices. Electricity tariffs, public charging rates and pump prices all vary by location, supplier and time — replace them with your own real figures for an accurate result.

Last reviewed: 30 August 2026. Figures and methodology are reviewed as UK rates and rules change.