Electric Car Running Cost Calculator

Compare the true annual cost of charging an EV vs fuelling a petrol car — UK 2026/27.

Enter Your Details

⚡ Electric Car
80%
⛽ Petrol Car
⚡ Electric Annual Cost
£0
0p/mile
⛽ Petrol Annual Cost
£0
0p/mile
£0
annual fuel saving with electric
Cost ComponentElectricPetrol

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does home EV charging cost? ▼
At 24p/kWh (typical 2026 home rate), charging a 75kWh battery from empty costs about £18. Most EVs achieve 3–4 miles per kWh, giving a home charging cost of 6–8p per mile — significantly cheaper than petrol at 13–18p per mile.
How expensive is public rapid charging? ▼
Most public rapid chargers (50–150kW) charge 65–85p/kWh. At 75p/kWh and 3.5 miles/kWh, that's around 21p/mile — close to or exceeding the cost per mile of a petrol car. Having home charging access is the biggest factor in EV economics.
What about EV servicing costs vs petrol? ▼
EVs have fewer moving parts — no oil changes, no exhaust system, simpler transmission. Typical annual service costs for an EV are £100–£180 vs £150–£300+ for a petrol car. Brake wear is also reduced due to regenerative braking. Tyres wear faster on some EVs due to higher weight and instant torque.
What EV efficiency should I enter? ▼
Most EVs achieve 3–4 miles/kWh in mixed driving. Small city EVs (e.g. MG4, Nissan Leaf) typically achieve 3.5–4.5 miles/kWh. Larger SUVs or performance EVs (e.g. Kia EV9, Tesla Model X) typically achieve 2.5–3.5 miles/kWh. Cold weather and motorway driving reduce efficiency by 15–30%.

What an electric car actually costs to run in the UK (2026)

The running cost of an electric vehicle (EV) in the UK depends heavily on where you charge: home charging at off-peak energy tariffs costs about 7-12p per kWh (Octopus Go, Intelligent Octopus, EDF GoElectric tariffs); standard daytime home charging costs around 27p/kWh (April 2026 Ofgem cap). Public rapid charging on motorways and at destinations costs 60-89p/kWh — the same energy can cost 5-12× more depending on charging location.

A typical 2026 EV uses about 3.5-4.5 miles per kWh (depending on size, weather, and driving style). At home off-peak rates (10p/kWh), running cost is 2-3p/mile. At Ofgem cap rates (27p/kWh), it's 6-8p/mile. At rapid charging (75p/kWh), it's 17-21p/mile — comparable to or worse than a fuel-efficient petrol car at 142p/litre and 45 MPG.

For the average UK driver doing 7,400 miles/year, home-overnight EV charging costs about £180-220/year — vs £900-1,100 for a comparable petrol car. The savings are substantial if you charge mostly at home off-peak. The picture changes dramatically for drivers who can't charge at home and rely on public infrastructure: total annual energy costs can match or exceed petrol equivalents.

EV other-than-fuel running costs are generally lower than ICE: no oil changes, no spark plugs, brake pads last longer due to regenerative braking, no exhaust system to maintain. EV insurance has historically been slightly higher (10-20% premium) due to higher repair costs and limited specialist garages, but premiums have normalised in 2025-2026 as the market matures. Road tax (VED) — previously £0 for EVs — moved to the standard £195 annual rate from April 2025, plus the £425 expensive car supplement for vehicles over £40k list price. Battery degradation: typical loss is about 1-2% capacity per year for modern lithium-ion EVs, meaning a 10-year-old EV typically retains 80-90% of its original range.

Total cost of EV ownership over 5 years

A 5-year cost-of-ownership comparison for a £35,000 EV vs a £30,000 petrol equivalent (both new) for a typical UK driver at 8,000 miles/year: the EV faces higher upfront depreciation (~40% over 5 years, vs ~50% for petrol) but lower running costs throughout. Total 5-year ownership cost: EV approximately £24,000 (purchase delta + running costs - residual); petrol approximately £21,500. Counter-intuitively, EVs CAN cost more over 5 years for low-mileage drivers if the purchase premium isn't offset by fuel savings.

The math reverses for higher-mileage drivers (15,000+ miles/year) or those benefiting from heavily-discounted off-peak home charging tariffs. A 15,000-mile/year driver with home off-peak charging saves £1,500-£2,000/year in fuel vs petrol — over 5 years that's £7,500-£10,000 of fuel savings, which more than offsets the typical £3,000-£5,000 purchase premium. For company-car drivers, the BiK tax difference alone (3% EV vs 24-37% ICE) compounds to make EV the clear winner regardless of mileage.