EV vs ICE: maintenance & running costs
Compare the running cost of an electric car and a combustion one — gas, diesel or LPG — over the years you'll keep them: energy and fuel, maintenance and servicing (oil changes included), tires, and a one-off home charger. This is a cost-to-run comparison, not the purchase price. Every value is editable.
Running cost compared
Electric saves
$3,797
over 5 years · ≈ $759 per year
- Electric
- $5,601
- Gas
- $9,398
Where the money goes
The home charger pays for itself in 0.9 years
Cars & running costs
Electric
Maintenance covers servicing, oil changes, filters, brake fluid and wear items — typically higher for a combustion car.
Gas
How to read the result
Each car's total is its running cost over the years you choose: energy or fuel (distance × consumption × price), plus maintenance, plus tires — and for the electric car, a one-off home charger. It deliberately leaves out the purchase price and depreciation, so it answers 'which is cheaper to run', not 'which is cheaper to buy'. Electricity is usually far cheaper per mile than gas, diesel or LPG, and an EV skips oil changes and most engine servicing, so the gap widens the more you drive and the longer you keep the car.
Good to know
- Prices are held flat for the whole period — real fuel and electricity prices drift, so treat the totals as today's-money estimates.
- Purchase price and depreciation are not included. An EV usually costs more to buy; this tool only compares what it costs to run.
- Defaults are typical, not your car. Pick the fuel and edit consumption, maintenance and tire costs to match the cars you're comparing.
Frequently asked questions
- Is an electric car cheaper to run than gas or diesel?
- Usually yes. Electricity costs much less per mile than gas, diesel or LPG, and an EV has no oil changes and far fewer wearing parts, so servicing is cheaper too. Over several years and typical mileage the running-cost saving is often several thousand — pick the fuel and enter your own prices and distance above to see your figure.
- Does this include the price of the car?
- No. This is a running-cost comparison only — energy/fuel, maintenance, tires and a one-off home charger. It leaves out purchase price and depreciation, because those depend heavily on the specific models you're choosing between.
- Why is EV maintenance so much lower?
- No oil changes, no spark plugs, no timing belt, no exhaust, and regenerative braking means brake pads last far longer. An EV still needs tires, cabin filters, brake fluid and coolant, but the routine servicing bill is typically a fraction of a combustion car's.
- Can I compare against diesel or LPG, not just gas?
- Yes — switch the fuel type on the combustion car and its consumption and price reseed to typical values for that fuel, which you can then edit. Diesel cars use less fuel per mile but cost a bit more to service; LPG is cheaper per gallon but burns more of it.