EV vs Petrol: What Does Driving Really Cost?
Compare your real monthly and yearly cost of charging an EV against petrol — with home and public charging rates, your own fuel price, and the CO₂ difference. All in your browser, no signup.
🚗 Your driving
🔌 The EV side
⛽ The petrol side
Free EV vs Petrol Cost Calculator — Charging Cost vs Fuel Cost
The honest answer to "is an EV cheaper to run?" is: it depends on where you charge. Home charging usually costs a few cents per mile, while public fast charging can cost two to three times more — sometimes nearly as much as petrol for an efficient hybrid. This calculator keeps both rates separate and blends them by your real charging mix, so the saving it shows is one you can actually believe.
🏠 Home vs public charging
Most EV owners charge at home 80% of the time. Enter your real split — a driver who only fast-charges will see a much smaller saving, and this calculator shows that honestly.
📅 Monthly, yearly, 5-year view
A $50 monthly saving is $600 a year and $3,000 over five years. The long view is what makes the comparison meaningful.
🌍 CO₂ included
Petrol emits about 8.89 kg of CO₂ per gallon (2.31 kg per litre). EV emissions use a grid average of 0.37 kg per kWh — your local grid may be cleaner or dirtier.
🔒 Fully private
Everything is calculated in your browser. No data is uploaded or stored.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
At a typical US home rate of about 17 cents per kWh, a 75 kWh battery costs roughly $13–$15 for a full charge including charging losses — around 5 cents per mile at 3.5 miles per kWh. For 1,000 miles a month that is roughly $50–$65, against $115–$145 for a 30 MPG petrol car at $3.50 per gallon. Your own electricity rate matters more than any other input: it is printed on your bill, so use that number, not a national average.
Frequently Asked Questions
At home, substantially — typically 4–6 cents per mile against 11–14 cents for a 30 MPG petrol car. On public fast chargers the gap narrows sharply and can disappear against an efficient hybrid.
Public fast charging often costs 2–3× a home rate. A driver charging 100% in public can pay nearly triple the home-charging figure, which is why this calculator asks for your mix.
Most modern EVs manage 3–4 miles per kWh (5–6.5 km per kWh) in mixed driving. Efficient models reach 4.5+, while large SUVs and winter driving sit lower, around 2.5–3.
No — this is a fuel-and-charging comparison only. EVs typically also save on maintenance (no oil changes, less brake wear), which would make the real-world advantage larger, while purchase price and insurance vary too much to include fairly.
Yes — completely free, no account required.