How much does it cost to run an EV vs petrol?
With petrol close to £1.75 a litre and diesel around £2, running costs are a big reason people look at electric cars. The answer depends mostly on where you charge. Here's a simple, honest comparison.
Last updated 16 October 2026. General information, not financial or professional advice.
Petrol and diesel: cost per mile
In early October 2026, the RAC put average UK prices at 174.79p a litre for petrol and 199.90p for diesel. A petrol car averaging 45 mpg costs about 17.7p a mile in fuel. A diesel averaging 52 mpg costs about 17.5p a mile.
Over 7,000 miles a year, that's roughly £1,240 for petrol or £1,220 for diesel.
Electric: it depends where you charge
Assuming a typical efficiency of 3.5 miles per kWh (7,000 miles needs about 2,000 kWh):
- Home, off-peak EV tariff (around 7–8p/kWh): about 2p a mile – roughly £150 a year.
- Home, standard price-cap tariff (26.32p/kWh): about 7.5p a mile – roughly £530 a year.
- Public chargers up to 49kW (Zapmap average about 54p/kWh in July 2026): about 15p a mile.
- Rapid and ultra-rapid public chargers (around 80p/kWh): about 23p a mile – more than petrol.
What this means
If you can charge at home on an off-peak tariff, running an EV can cost less than a fifth of the fuel for a petrol car – saving around £1,000 a year at 7,000 miles. If you rely mainly on rapid public chargers, it can cost more than petrol.
Most drivers use a mix. Even on a standard home tariff, an EV costs well under half as much per mile as petrol at current prices.
Other running costs
- Servicing: EVs have fewer moving parts and typically need less routine maintenance, although tyres can wear faster.
- Vehicle tax: since April 2025, electric cars pay vehicle excise duty like other cars.
- Insurance: varies by model – get quotes before you choose.
- Home charger: a dedicated home charger is a one-off cost, and many smart tariffs require one.
See your own numbers
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Try the free snapshotFrequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
At an off-peak EV tariff of around 7–8p/kWh, about 2p per mile. At the October 2026 standard price cap of 26.32p/kWh, about 7.5p per mile, assuming 3.5 miles per kWh.
Is an electric car cheaper to run than petrol?
Usually, yes, if you charge mostly at home. At October 2026 prices, petrol costs about 17.7p a mile in a 45 mpg car, compared with about 2p a mile charging an EV at home off-peak. Relying on rapid public chargers can cost more than petrol.
How much does public EV charging cost?
Zapmap reported an average of about 54p/kWh for 3–49kW public chargers and about 80p/kWh for ultra-rapid chargers in mid-2026.
Sources
- RAC – Diesel dips below £2 a litre (9 October 2026 prices)
- RAC Fuel Watch
- British Gas – EV tariffs (citing Zapmap public charging averages, July 2026)
- Ofgem – Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (1 Oct–31 Dec 2026)