Driving & travel · Calculator companion · By K Imports
EV vs petrol annual cost: practical guide
This guide explains how to use the Count.ie ev vs petrol annual cost. Compare annual charging and fuel costs with vehicle purchase premium. Follow the inputs, method and worked example below, then compare your own scenario.
Guide written .
Open the EV vs petrol annual cost calculatorWhat to prepare
- Record the distance, vehicle specification and the relevant fuel or electricity price.
- Separate one-off purchase or import costs from recurring running costs.
- Use observed consumption where available and label any manufacturer's figure as an assumption.
Understand the inputs
The calculation method
Grid charging energy divides battery energy by charging efficiency. Saving = combustion fuel cost − charging cost + entered non-energy savings.
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and their result.
Example inputs
- Annual distance (km)
- 20000
- Combustion consumption (L/100 km)
- 6.5
- Fuel price (€/litre)
- 1.8
- EV battery consumption (kWh/100 km)
- 18
- Weighted charging price (€/kWh)
- 0.2
- Charging efficiency (%)
- 85
- EV annual non-energy saving (€)
- 200
- EV purchase premium (€)
- 5000
Calculated example result
- Annual Saving
- €1,692.94
- Simple Payback Years
- 2.95 years
How to interpret the result
A running-cost or range estimate is not a guarantee of real-world performance. Weather, loading, driving conditions, charging losses and changing prices can alter the result.
Compare vehicles over the same distance and ownership period. Test a higher energy price or worse consumption before deciding that the apparent saving is dependable.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not mix litres per 100 km with miles per gallon, or battery capacity with energy purchased.
- Distinguish an advertised charging power from power sustained during a full session.
- Check taxes, vehicle classification and exclusions against the stated date and sources.
Assumptions and sources
Use a charging price weighted across home and public charging. Excludes grants, resale differences, finance and battery replacement unless separately reflected in inputs.
If your case falls outside this scope, use a more suitable calculator or contact us about an unclear method.