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EV vs Petrol Cost Comparison

Compare the true lifetime cost of going electric versus staying with petrol -- purchase price, fuel, maintenance, break-even point and CO2 saved over your ownership period.

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EV vs Petrol Cost Comparison
Compare lifetime costs, fuel savings and CO₂ reduction of electric vs petrol cars

⚡ Electric Vehicle

⛽ Petrol Car

EV Savings Over Period
—
EV Fuel Cost/Year—
Petrol Fuel Cost/Year—
Annual Fuel Saving—
EV Total Cost—
Petrol Total Cost—
Break-even Point—
CO₂ Saved over Period—

Disclaimer. Cost and break-even estimates depend on the prices, rates and ownership period you enter; actual costs vary by region, incentives, battery degradation, insurance and resale value, which this calculator does not model. Read full disclaimer →

About EV vs Petrol Cost Calculator

Electric vehicles have higher purchase cost but dramatically lower running costs. Typical EV energy consumption: 12-18 kWh per 100 km. At Rs 7-9 per kWh for home charging, cost is Rs 84-162 per 100 km. An equivalent petrol car at 12-15 km per litre and Rs 95-105 per litre costs Rs 633-875 per 100 km - approximately 5-8 times more expensive per km.

Total cost of ownership over 5 years and 50,000 km: EVs cost Rs 3-8 lakh more to purchase, but save approximately Rs 2.5-3 lakh on fuel and additional savings on maintenance since EVs have 60-70% fewer moving parts. Government incentives include FAME II subsidy and many state policies offering Rs 1-3 lakh additional subsidy plus road tax exemption. Total cost of ownership break-even typically occurs at 40,000-80,000 km depending on vehicle segment and electricity tariff.

Formula Used In This Calculator

Annual Fuel Cost: EV = (Annual km ÷ 100) × kWh/100km × Electricity Rate; Petrol = (Annual km ÷ 100) × L/100km × Petrol Price. Total Cost of Ownership = Purchase Price + (Annual Fuel + Annual Maintenance) × Years of Ownership, using an assumed EV maintenance cost of $600/year (EVs have far fewer moving parts than combustion engines). Break-even is the price difference between the two vehicles divided by their annual running-cost saving. CO₂ saved uses 2.31 kg CO₂/litre for petrol and 0.436 kg CO₂/kWh for grid electricity, projected across your ownership years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Break-even = (EV Price - Petrol Car Price) / Annual Running Cost Saving, where the running cost saving combines both fuel and maintenance differences. If the EV's running costs are lower (which is typical), this tells you how many years of ownership it takes for the EV's lower running costs to offset its higher purchase price.
It assumes a flat $600 per year for EV maintenance, reflecting the fact that EVs have roughly 60-70% fewer moving parts than combustion vehicles (no oil changes, timing belts, or exhaust systems), so they typically cost noticeably less to maintain than a comparable petrol car.
Petrol combustion is calculated at 2.31 kg CO2 per litre burned, a standard published combustion factor. EV electricity is calculated at 0.436 kg CO2 per kWh, an IEA global average grid emission factor -- in regions with cleaner grids (more renewables, less coal), the real-world EV emissions advantage is larger than this calculator shows, and vice versa for coal-heavy grids.
If your annual mileage is low, the EV price premium can outweigh the fuel and maintenance savings within a shorter ownership period, since fewer km driven means less fuel cost saved per year to offset the higher upfront price. Try adjusting the annual km driven and years of ownership fields to see how sensitive your specific break-even point is to usage.
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