The cost of running electric cars compared to petrol vehicles

Fuelling costs

The way that electric and petrol cars run is their biggest fundamental difference, and also why one is far more environmentally friendly than the other. But whether this is cheaper than using petrol to run a car is a question that many people have.

The cost of electricity and of running a home generally has been in the news a lot of late. But does that translate into more expensive costs for running a car?

The latest EV Recharge Report from The AA for May 2023 showed that the cost when charging an electric vehicle at home is 7.64 pence per mile. This is compared to 13.69 pence per mile for petrol vehicles. 

It should be mentioned however that the cost of charging your EV at fast, rapid and ultra-rapid charging points is closer to the cost of petrol in pence per mile. Fast chargers cost 12.36 pence per mile, rapid 14.83 pence per mile, and ultra rapid 15.73.

But a key takeaway here is that while initial purchasing costs may be higher, charging your electric vehicle at home is currently substantially cheaper than filling a car with petrol.

Maintenance and repair costs​

From time to time, every vehicle is going to require a bit of TLC. If you are considering purchasing an electric vehicle, then the good news is that they tend to require fewer maintenance checks and repairs.

This is primarily due to the simpler drivetrains that electric vehicles have. But costs can also be saved due to fewer oil changes, lower brake wear and fewer engine maintenance requirements.

And though costs can be lower, it is still important to maintain any electric vehicle properly, and carry out things like battery health checks for example.

Time for a change?​

From 2030, the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles in the UK will be banned. This means that whatever your views on electric vehicles at present, this is the way that the automotive industry is going and at some point, everybody will need to move with the times.

The sooner this transition is made, the more accustomed you will become to being an electric vehicle owner and all that that entails.

At Thurlow Nunn, we are proud to provide people seeking new cars with a number of electric and hybrid choices.

We stock many Vauxhall electric vehicles, including the Corsa Electric and Mokka Electric, as well as the Grandland Plugin Hybrid and Astra Plugin Hybrid.

There are also a host of Peugeot electric vehicles available from Thurlow Nunn, including the e-Rifter, e-208 and e-2008, as well as many hybrid vehicle choices. These include the 308 Hybrid, 3008 Hybrid, 408 Hybrid and 508 Hybrid.