Compare the total cost of ownership (TCO) of an electric and a petrol car over your chosen period — purchase price, electricity and fuel, servicing and insurance.
Compare car finance and lease offers.
TCO = purchase price + (energy/fuel + service + insurance) × years. Excludes depreciation and finance cost — estimate those in the lease and depreciation calculators.
The calculator adds up total cost of ownership (TCO): the purchase price plus annual running costs multiplied by the comparison period. Energy cost is mileage ÷ 100 × consumption (per 100 km) × price, for both electricity and fuel.
Annual service and insurance are added for each car. The break-even point shows after how many years the cheaper-to-run EV recovers its higher purchase price.
It depends on mileage and energy prices. An EV usually has lower 'fuel' and service costs but a higher purchase price. High annual mileage pays it off faster; with low mileage a petrol car can be cheaper overall.
Enter an average electricity price per kWh. Home charging is cheaper (e.g. night tariff); public fast chargers cost more — if you use both, use a weighted average.
Not directly — TCO covers purchase and running costs. Estimate each car's value loss in the depreciation calculator and add it to the comparison.
No — everything is calculated locally in your browser.
The decision is driven not by the sticker price but by the cost over the whole ownership period. An EV costs more to buy but less to run; a petrol car the opposite.
Enter your mileage and your electricity and fuel prices above to see the real break-even for your situation.