EV vs Petrol Running Cost Calculator
What an electric car costs to charge against what a petrol car costs to fuel for the distance you drive, per year and over the years you own it — with the payback on a purchase premium.
Petrol cost = km ÷ 100 × litres per 100 km × the fuel price.
| Petrol fuel | $1,924.00 |
|---|---|
| EV charging | $686.40 |
How the ev vs petrol calculator works
Petrol cost = km ÷ 100 × litres per 100 km × the fuel price. Charging cost = km ÷ 100 × kWh per 100 km × a blended electricity price (your home share at the home rate, the rest at the public rate). The saving is the difference; over the ownership period it is multiplied by the years. If both purchase prices are entered, the premium ÷ the yearly saving is the payback.
Formula: Petrol = km/100 × L/100km × $/L · EV = km/100 × kWh/100km × (share × home + (1 − share) × public) · payback = premium ÷ saving
How the running costs are worked out
Fuel use × price, both sides, per year and per km
The petrol side takes your yearly kilometres, multiplies by fuel use (L/100km ÷ 100) to get litres, then by the petrol price — so 13,000 km at 8 L/100km is 1,040 litres, about $1,924 a year at $1.85/L, or roughly 14.8c/km. The EV side does the same with energy: kilometres × kWh/100km ÷ 100 gives kWh, priced at a blend of your home and public rates by the home-charging share you set. At 16 kWh/100km charged wholly at home at 33c/kWh that's 2,080 kWh, about $686 a year, or roughly 5.3c/km.
Worked example
Over 13,000 km a year, petrol at ≈$1,924 versus a home-charged EV at ≈$686 leaves a saving of about $1,240 a year — roughly $6,200 over five years. Add the two cars' prices at the Detailed level and the tool divides the EV's price premium by that yearly saving to show how long the running-cost saving takes to pay it back.
Home vs public chargingWhere you charge changes everything
The single biggest lever on an EV's running cost is where you plug in:
- Home charging — about 33c/kWh. A typical Australian flat-rate tariff. At 16 kWh/100km that's roughly 5.3c/km — about a third of petrol's cost per kilometre.
- Off-peak or controlled load — often 15–22c/kWh. Charging overnight on a time-of-use or dedicated EV tariff cuts the cost per kilometre well below the flat rate.
- Rooftop solar — a few cents/kWh. Charging from your own panels in the middle of the day is the cheapest energy you'll ever put in a car.
- Public DC fast-charging — 60c/kWh and up. Nearly double a home rate; at 16 kWh/100km that's about 9.6c/km. Still under petrol, but the saving narrows the more you rely on it.
Set the share charged at home to match how you actually drive. Most Australian EV owners do the large majority of charging at home and only use public fast-chargers on longer trips, which is why the home rate does most of the work in the comparison.
The price premium and paybackWhere these figures come from
There's no single official running-cost figure — it depends on your car, your driving, where you charge and the petrol price on the day. The anchors below are 2026 Australian averages drawn from typical fuel-price cycles and household electricity rates; they are approximate and move over time, so treat them as a planning guide and use your own prices.
- Petrol price — national average around $1.85/L, swinging roughly $1.70–$2.15 across the price cycle and by region. Set your own local price for a sharper figure.
- Home electricity — a typical flat-rate tariff of about 33c/kWh; off-peak, controlled-load and solar charging cost far less.
- Public fast-charging — DC fast-chargers commonly run 60c/kWh and up, roughly double a home rate.
- Kilometres driven — the average Australian car covers about 13,000 km a year; use your own annual distance for accuracy.
- Efficiency — petrol cars vary from about 6 L/100km (small car) to 12+ (ute); EVs from about 13 kWh/100km (efficient) to 20+ (large SUV).
- Further guidance — MoneySmart (ASIC) — budgeting and cost guidance.
Last checked: July 2026. All figures are indicative Australian averages and vary by car, driving, tariff, region and the day's petrol price. This is an energy-cost comparison and a planning estimate — not a full cost-of-ownership figure or financial advice.
Understanding your resultSelect the question that matches where you are right now.
The headline number is the yearly energy saving from running the EV instead of petrol: the petrol car's fuel bill minus the EV's charging bill. The breakdown shows each car's running cost, the saving over the years you keep it, and — if you've entered both prices — how long that saving takes to pay back the EV's higher price.
What to do with itUse it to sanity-check whether an EV's fuel savings are worth the higher sticker price for your driving. If you cover big distances and charge at home, the saving is large; if you drive little and fast-charge a lot, it shrinks.
What it is notIt's not the full cost of ownership. It leaves out servicing, rego, insurance, tyres and depreciation — though EVs are usually cheaper to service, which tends to help the EV further.
Why the home share mattersThe EV cost blends your home and public rates by the share you charge at home. Charging mostly at home keeps the cost per kilometre low; leaning on public fast-chargers pushes it up.
Four things move the comparison the most: how far you drive, the petrol price, where you charge, and the two cars' efficiency.
Kilometres a yearThe saving scales almost straight with distance. Double the kilometres and you roughly double the yearly gap — high-km drivers get the biggest win and the fastest payback.
Petrol priceAt $1.85/L the gap is wide; at the top of the cycle near $2.15 it's wider still. A cheaper petrol run narrows it. Set your own local price for a sharper figure.
Charging mix and efficiencyHome charging at 33c/kWh beats public at 60c+/kWh, so the home-charging share swings the EV cost a lot. Efficiency matters on both sides — a thirsty ute versus an efficient EV widens the gap; an economical small petrol car narrows it.
A few tweaks make the comparison match your real driving.
Use your own numbersPull your real annual kilometres from your odometer or logbook, your petrol car's actual L/100km, and your electricity rate from a recent bill. Defaults are national averages, not your situation.
Be honest about chargingIf you road-trip often and fast-charge on the way, drop the home-charging share below 100%. It's the fairest way to see what an EV would really cost you.
Add both prices for paybackEnter the EV and the comparable petrol car's prices at the Detailed level to turn the yearly saving into a payback time — the number that actually decides the buy.
Running cost is one line in the bigger picture of buying and owning a car. Model the rest of it too.
All the running costsWant rego, insurance, servicing and tyres in one figure?
Car running cost → Financing the carWorking out repayments on a car loan for either car?
Car finance → Just the fuel billOnly need the petrol side across a trip or a year?
Fuel cost → Related calculators 🚗Car Running CostTotal cost to own 💰Car FinanceLoan repayments ⛽Fuel CostPetrol for a trip 🧾Cost of LivingHousehold budget 🧮Tyre SizeDecode a tyre size like You might also be interested in 🚗Car Running CostOwn it all-in 💰Car FinanceRepayments ⛽Fuel CostPetrol for a trip 🧾Cost of LivingHousehold budget Rate this calculatorQuick answers
EV vs petrol at 13,000 km a year About $1,240 saved a year
Driving the Australian average of ~13,000 km, a petrol car using 8 L/100km at $1.85/L burns about $1,924 of fuel a year. An EV using 16 kWh/100km charged at home at 33c/kWh costs about $686 — a saving of roughly $1,240 a year, or $6,200 over five years. That's energy only; EVs also tend to be cheaper to service.
| Petrol fuel | ≈$1,924/yr |
|---|---|
| EV charging | ≈$686/yr |
| Saving | ≈$1,240/yr |
| Over 5 years | ≈$6,200 |
- Energy only Excludes rego, insurance, depreciation
- Servicing Usually cheaper on an EV too
The cost per kilometre ~15c petrol vs ~5c EV
Boil it down to cents per kilometre and the gap is stark: the petrol car costs about 14.8c/km in fuel, the home-charged EV about 5.3c/km — roughly a third. Every 100 km costs ~$15 in petrol versus ~$5 in home electricity. The more you drive, the bigger the annual saving, which is why high-km drivers and rideshare/delivery see the fastest EV payback.
| Petrol | ≈14.8c/km |
|---|---|
| EV (home) | ≈5.3c/km |
| Per 100 km | $15 vs $5 |
- High-km drivers Save the most
- Solar Can push EV near 0c/km
Home vs public charging Home ~33c, public ~60c+/kWh
Where you charge decides the saving. Overnight home charging at ~33c/kWh (or far less on an off-peak/EV plan, and near-free from your own solar) is the cheapest fuel there is. Public fast-charging is much dearer — often 60c/kWh and up — so an EV that lives on public DC fast chargers costs about $1,250/yr to run, closer to petrol. The calculator lets you set the home/public split.
| Home | ≈33c/kWh |
|---|---|
| Off-peak / solar | Much less |
| Public fast | 60c+/kWh |
- Mostly home? Biggest saving
- Mostly public? Saving shrinks fast
High-km driving amplifies it 15,000 km → ~$1,430 saved
Because the saving is per-kilometre, more driving means more saving. At 15,000 km/yr the petrol bill is ~$2,220 and home EV charging ~$792 — about $1,430 saved a year. A 25,000 km/yr driver (long commute, rideshare) saves well over $2,000 a year on energy alone, which pays back an EV's price premium far faster than an average commuter would.
| 15,000 km petrol | ≈$2,220/yr |
|---|---|
| 15,000 km EV | ≈$792/yr |
| Saving | ≈$1,430/yr |
- 25,000 km/yr Saves $2,000+/yr
- Low-km driver Longer payback
Paying back the price premium Premium ÷ annual saving
EVs still often cost more to buy than an equivalent petrol car. Divide that premium by the annual fuel saving for a rough energy-only payback: a $10,000 premium at $1,240/yr saved takes about 8 years to recover on fuel alone. Cheaper EVs and high-km drivers pay back faster; add lower servicing and any rebates, and the real payback is shorter than the fuel-only figure. Enter both car prices at the Detailed level.
| Formula | premium ÷ yearly saving |
|---|---|
| $10k premium | ≈8 yrs on fuel alone |
| Faster if | High km / small premium |
- Also count Lower servicing + rebates
- Price gap Shrinking each year
What this does — and doesn't — include Energy only, on purpose
This compares the ENERGY cost — petrol versus electricity — and nothing else. It excludes purchase price (add it at Detailed for payback), servicing, registration, insurance and depreciation. In reality EVs usually win on servicing (fewer moving parts, no oil) but can cost more to insure and have historically depreciated faster, while petrol cars are cheaper to buy. Use this for the running-cost piece and weigh the rest separately.
| Included | Fuel vs charging |
|---|---|
| Excluded | Rego, insurance, depreciation |
| EV edge | Cheaper servicing |
- Buy price Add at Detailed for payback
- Full picture Weigh all costs
Petrol price swings the result Every 10c/L ≈ $100/yr
The saving is sensitive to the pump price. At 13,000 km and 8 L/100km you burn ~1,040 L a year, so every 10c/L change moves the petrol bill about $104 a year. When petrol spikes to $2.15/L the annual saving jumps toward $1,550; when relief drops it to $1.60 it falls toward $1,000. Electricity prices are steadier, so pump volatility mostly works in the EV's favour over time.
| Litres/yr (default) | ≈1,040 L |
|---|---|
| Each 10c/L | ≈$104/yr |
| At $2.15/L | Saving ≈$1,550 |
- Petrol Volatile
- Electricity Steadier
The two numbers that matter most L/100km and kWh/100km
Your result hinges on each car's real-world efficiency. Small petrol cars sip ~6 L/100km, family SUVs ~9–11, utes 10+. EVs range from ~13 kWh/100km (small, efficient) to ~20+ (large SUVs, towing, highway speeds). Use YOUR car's actual figures from the trip computer, not the sticker — real-world use is usually 10–20% worse than the lab number, for both.
| Petrol small/SUV/ute | 6 / 10 / 12 L100 |
|---|---|
| EV small/large | 13 / 20+ kWh100 |
| Use | Your trip-computer figures |
- Real-world 10–20% worse than sticker
- Highway Hurts EVs more than city
Worked examples
| Inputs | Difference per year | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 13,000 km a year, 8 L/100 km at $1.85 against 16 kWh/100 km at 33c | $1,238 | EV saves $1,238 a year; $6,188 over five years |
| Half the charging at public rates | $957 | blended 46.5c/kWh; saving $957 |
| A $15,000 premium | $2,400 | payback about 6.3 years |
FAQFrequently asked questions
Does the running-cost saving pay back the higher price?
Energy saving vs the extra you pay upfront EVs still often cost more to buy than a comparable petrol car, though the gap has narrowed. The payback here is simple: the extra you pay for the EV ÷ the yearly energy saving . A $10,000 price premium against a $1,240-a-year saving is roughly eight years on energy alone. Drive more kilometres, pay a higher petrol price or charge at home and it comes back faster; lean on public fast-charging or start from a small price gap and it takes longer. Servicing usually helps the EV further This tool compares energy only, but EVs are generally cheaper to service — no oil changes, far fewer moving parts, and regenerative braking that spares the brake pads. That real-world saving tends to shorten payback beyond what the energy figure alone shows, though it isn't included here. What this leaves out Registration, insurance, tyres and depreciation aren't in the comparison. Insurance can be dearer on an EV and depreciation varies a lot by model, so treat the payback as the fuel-versus-charging picture, not the full cost of ownership. Frequently asked Frequently asked questions
Is an EV really cheaper to run than petrol in Australia?
On energy cost, yes — usually by a wide margin if you charge at home. At about $1.85/L a car using 8 L/100km costs roughly 14.8c/km, or about $1,924 a year over 13,000 km. An EV using 16 kWh/100km charged at home at 33c/kWh costs about 5.3c/km, or roughly $686 a year — a saving of about $1,240 a year. This compares energy cost only; EVs are also usually cheaper to service, while the sums change if you rely on public fast-charging.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
At a typical Australian home rate of about 33c/kWh, an EV using 16 kWh/100km costs about 5.3c/km to charge — roughly $5.30 for every 100 km, or about $686 a year over 13,000 km. Charging overnight on a cheaper off-peak or controlled-load tariff, or from your own rooftop solar, drops that further; a solar-charged EV can cost only a few cents per kilometre.
Does public fast-charging wipe out the saving?
It narrows it but rarely wipes it out. Public DC fast-charging runs about 60c/kWh and up — nearly double a home rate — so an EV using 16 kWh/100km costs about 9.6c/km on public charging versus 5.3c/km at home. That's still below petrol's roughly 14.8c/km, but the more you rely on public chargers, the smaller the gap. Set the home-charging share in the calculator to see the blend for how you actually drive.
How long does it take to pay back an EV's higher price?
Divide the extra you pay for the EV by the yearly running-cost saving. If an EV costs $10,000 more than a comparable petrol car and saves about $1,240 a year in energy, that's roughly eight years to pay back on running cost alone. Higher annual kilometres, a bigger petrol price or home charging all shorten it; heavy public fast-charging or a small price gap lengthen it. Add the two cars' prices at the Detailed level to see your own payback.
What running costs does this NOT include?
This compares energy only — petrol versus electricity. It does not include servicing, registration, insurance, tyres or depreciation. EVs are usually cheaper to service (no oil changes, fewer moving parts and less brake wear thanks to regenerative braking), which tends to widen the real-world gap, but insurance can be dearer and depreciation varies by model. Treat the result as the fuel-versus-charging comparison, not the full cost of ownership. Sources
The sources behind this calculator
- American Association of Feline Practitioners — Feline Life Stage Guidelines — the six feline life stages the cat-age page uses
- Wang et al. 2020, Cell Systems — Quantitative translation of dog-to-human aging by conserved remodeling of the DNA methylome — the 16·ln(age)+31 epigenetic formula on the dog-age page
- Fair Work Ombudsman — sets hospitality award wages — why tipping is optional in Australia
Last checked: July 2026. Where a page states a convention (a tipping custom, a pet life stage), the page names the body it follows.