EV vs petrol cost calculator (UK)
At the October 2026 price cap, home charging costs a fraction of petrol per mile; public rapid charging can cost more than petrol. Set how much you charge at home and enter your cars' figures to see the real gap.
Fills in your home electricity rate and gas price. Edit them to match your bill or pump.
Electric car
Check the price per kWh in your charging network's app; fast charging usually costs well above home rates.
Petrol car
Fuel cost comparison
- The EV is cheaper to fuel
- EV cost per mile
- 9.3p
- Petrol cost per mile
- 17.6p
- EV fuel cost per year
- £648
- Petrol fuel cost per year
- £1,231
- Fuel saving per year
- £583
- Fuel saving over 5 years
- £2,915
- EV cost to drive as far as one litre (break-even petrol price)
- £0.92
Fuel only, at today's prices held flat. Insurance, maintenance, purchase price and resale are not included.
Defaults and sources
- Electricity price
- 26.32p/kWh and 54.83p/day standing charge: Ofgem price cap GB average, Direct Debit, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (no VAT on electricity this period)Ofgem, Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges · checked Oct 27, 2026
- Petrol price
- 174.07p per litre, UK average unleaded, week of 26/10/2026DESNZ Weekly road fuel prices · checked Oct 27, 2026
- Electric Car Grant
- £3,750 or £1,500 off new electric cars priced at or under £37,000, depending on the car's production emissions; available from 16 July 2025 and extended to 2030GOV.UK, Electric Car Grant launch (July 2025) and December 2025 extension · checked Oct 27, 2026
How the calculator works
EV cost per mile is the car's kWh per 100 miles divided by 100, times your blended electricity price: the home rate for the share you charge at home, the public price for the rest. If your car reports miles per kWh, enter 100 divided by that figure.
Petrol cost per mile converts UK mpg (imperial gallons of 4.546 litres) to miles per litre and divides the pump price by it.
EV vs petrol in the UK: common questions
Is it cheaper to charge an EV than buy petrol in the UK?
At home, yes. At the 26.32p/kWh price cap, an EV using 28 kWh per 100 miles costs about 7.4p a mile; a 45 mpg petrol car at this week's 174.07p a litre costs about 17.6p a mile. Over 7,000 miles that is about £516 against £1,231.
What is the Electric Car Grant?
A discount of £3,750 or £1,500 on new electric cars priced at or under £37,000, depending on how sustainably the car is made. It has been available since 16 July 2025 and has been extended to 2030.
How do I convert miles per kWh to kWh per 100 miles?
Divide 100 by the miles per kWh. A car that does 3.5 miles per kWh uses about 28.6 kWh per 100 miles.