chargevu
Tool · 2026 prices

EV vs petrol: who wins over five years?

Pick a car, a country and your annual mileage. We compare what the EV and a petrol equivalent cost to run, then let you fold in maintenance and the upfront price gap for a full picture with a break-even.

Inputs

Your car, your country, your driving

Maintenance and upfront price (optional)

EVs usually cost less to service and often more to buy. Add your own figures here to turn the energy comparison into a fuller cost of ownership with a break-even point. Leave them at zero to compare energy and fuel alone.

Result

5-year cost in 🇺🇸 United States

EV total

$1,824

$365 / year to run

Petrol total

$5,250

$1,050 / year to run

EV is cheaper over the period by

$3,426over 5 years

Running saving for the EV: $685 / year

EV energy: $365 / year

Petrol fuel: $1,050 / year

Energy and fuel use real 2024 country averages. Maintenance, upfront price and resale value vary too much to hard-code, so they stay in your hands. Treat this as a starting estimate, not gospel.

Want just the energy side in more detail? The charging cost calculator breaks down monthly and annual charging spend on its own, and the home install cost guide covers the one-off wallbox spend before any of this kicks in.
FAQ

Frequently asked

How does this EV vs petrol calculator work?
It works out what each car costs to run per year and over your chosen time horizon. The EV side multiplies your kWh per 100 km by your annual distance and local electricity price. The petrol side does the same with litres per 100 km and the pump price. Maintenance and upfront price are optional fields you can add on top.
Why are maintenance and purchase price left blank?
Servicing costs, insurance and resale value swing too much by country, model and driver to hard-code honestly. Energy and fuel prices we can source and stand behind, so those drive the headline number. Add your own maintenance and upfront figures and the tool extends to a fuller cost of ownership with a break-even point.
What is the break-even and when does it show?
If you enter an upfront price gap, meaning the EV cost more to buy than the petrol car, and the EV runs cheaper each year, the calculator shows how long the running saving takes to cancel that gap. If the EV is both cheaper to buy and cheaper to run, there is no break-even because it wins from day one.
Does it assume home or public charging?
The default electricity price reflects home charging, which is where most EV owners do the bulk of their charging. If you mostly use public DC fast charging, raise the electricity field to the per-kWh rate your network charges and the comparison updates instantly.