EV vs Petrol Cost Calculator
Compare the cost of driving an electric vehicle against a petrol vehicle over the same distance, bridging cost-per-kWh against cost-per-gallon or liter.
mi
Electric Vehicle
$
/ kWh
mi/kWh
Petrol Vehicle
$
/ gal
mpg
EV Cost
$42.86
Petrol Cost
$125.00
EV Saves
$82.14
How to Use the EV vs Petrol Cost Calculator
Enter the distance you want to compare over, then fill in each side's cost inputs. For the EV side, enter electricity price per kWh and efficiency — either miles per kWh, or kWh per 100 miles, whichever your vehicle's spec sheet uses. For the petrol side, enter fuel price per gallon or liter and efficiency in mpg or L/100km. The calculator bridges these two completely different unit systems into a single comparable dollar cost for the same distance.
Petrol Cost (mpg) = (Distance ÷ MPG) × Price per Gallon
Petrol Cost (L/100km) = (Distance in km ÷ 100) × L/100km × Price per Liter
Example
Over 1,000 miles, an EV averaging 3.5 mi/kWh at $0.15/kWh costs about $42.86 in electricity. A gas car averaging 28 mpg at $3.50/gallon costs about $125.00 in fuel for the same distance — a difference of about $82.14.
Common Use Cases
- Deciding whether switching from a gas vehicle to an EV would lower your fuel/energy costs.
- Comparing running costs when cross-shopping an EV against a gas or hybrid alternative.
- Estimating long-term energy savings before committing to an EV purchase or lease.
FAQs
- How is this different from the Fuel Savings Calculator? The Fuel Savings Calculator compares two vehicles using the SAME fuel-type efficiency units — both in mpg or both in L/100km — which only works for comparing two gas or diesel vehicles. This tool specifically bridges electricity (cost-per-kWh) against petrol (cost-per-gallon or liter), the two fundamentally different unit systems needed to compare an EV against a gas vehicle.
- Which EV efficiency unit should I use? Use whichever your EV's spec sheet lists — miles per kWh (higher is better) or kWh per 100 miles (lower is better). Either one is converted internally to the same underlying cost calculation, so the result is identical either way.
- Does this account for public charging costs, which are often higher than home charging? No — enter whatever electricity price actually applies to your typical charging pattern. If you charge mostly at public stations at a higher rate, use that blended rate instead of a flat home electricity rate for a more accurate comparison.