Electric car versus petrol or diesel costs

Set annual kilometres, EV consumption, electricity price, fuel consumption and price per litre. Use comparable routes and driving patterns for both vehicles. For the EV, a consumption figure measured from the grid includes the charging energy you actually pay for.

Formula

Annual EV cost = annual km ÷ 100 × kWh/100 km × electricity price. Annual fuel cost = annual km ÷ 100 × litres/100 km × price per litre. Saving = fuel cost − EV cost; percentage saving uses fuel cost as its baseline.

Worked example

Over 15,000 km, an EV using 18 kWh/100 km requires 2,700 kWh. A combustion vehicle using 6 litres/100 km requires 900 litres. Applying the respective unit prices gives a like-for-like annual energy comparison.

What the result means

A positive saving means lower energy spending with the electric vehicle under these assumptions. A negative result means the entered charging arrangement costs more than the fuel scenario.

Electricity price · India

₹8.00/kWh is an illustrative input, not an India-wide average or an official electricity tariff. Replace it with the applicable rate for your state, DISCOM, consumer category and consumption slab.

Last reviewed: 9 September 2026

Electricity duty, fuel or power purchase adjustments, fixed charges and subsidies depend on the applicable state and DISCOM rules. No national tax percentage or subsidy is assumed. Slab thresholds, sanctioned-load charges and time-of-day tariffs are not automatically modelled.

Assumptions and limits

This is an energy-cost comparison, not a total ownership forecast. Depreciation, purchase price, taxes, insurance, maintenance and infrastructure costs can change the overall decision.

Questions answered

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