EV vs Petrol: 5 Year Cost Comparison

Sticker prices flatter petrol cars; running costs flatter EVs. This calculator adds up five years of ownership for both, purchase price, energy or fuel, servicing and road tax, so you can see which one actually costs less for your mileage, and by how much.

Updated 2026-07-18 · The EV Pros editorial team

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Adjust the inputs to see your estimate.

What the comparison includes

Both cars are costed over five years with the same annual mileage:

  • Purchase price, entered by you for each car
  • Energy or fuel: the EV uses a blend of home and public charging at current prices, the petrol car uses your mpg and the current pump price
  • Servicing: EVs have fewer moving parts, no oil, no exhaust and gentler brake wear, so the annual figure is lower
  • Road tax: since April 2025 EVs pay the standard rate too, so both sides include it

Depreciation is deliberately left out: resale values vary too much by model to promise a fair number. The result is your five year cost of buying and running each car.

Reading the result honestly

The pattern for most UK drivers: the EV costs more on day one and claws it back through fuel and servicing, with the crossover point depending almost entirely on mileage and home charging.

  • High mileage plus home charging favours the EV strongly, often by thousands over five years
  • Low mileage with no driveway narrows the gap, sometimes to nothing

If the numbers land close, drive both and pick the car you prefer. If the EV wins clearly, the remaining question is the specific car, and the history check and battery tools on this site are built for exactly that.

Assumptions and accuracy

Energy, fuel, servicing and road tax figures come from one editable config with current UK prices. Depreciation, insurance and finance costs are excluded. Five years, same mileage both sides.

These figures are estimates, not a guarantee. Last updated 2026-07-18.

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FAQs

Is an electric car cheaper than petrol over 5 years?
Usually, if you can charge at home and drive average or better mileage. The higher purchase price is offset by electricity at a fraction of petrol cost per mile and cheaper servicing. Drivers who rely on public rapid charging see a smaller saving.
Do electric cars pay road tax?
Yes. Since April 2025 EVs pay the standard rate of vehicle excise duty like other cars, and cars with a list price over 40,000 pounds also attract the expensive car supplement for five years. This calculator includes the standard rate on both sides.
Why is EV servicing cheaper?
No engine oil, no filters, no cambelt, no clutch, no exhaust, and regenerative braking that spares the pads. There is still an annual service, tyres, brake fluid and cabin filters, plus the battery and high voltage checks, but the total is typically lower than a petrol equivalent.
What about depreciation?
It is excluded, deliberately. Resale values differ so much between models and years that a single assumption would mislead. Compare like for like used values for the specific cars you are considering.
What mileage makes an EV worthwhile?
There is no single answer, which is why this calculator exists. As a rule of thumb, above about 8,000 miles a year with home charging, the five year saving is usually decisive. Run your own numbers above.

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