Electric vehicle or diesel - calculator of expenses
What is cheaper in the end - operating an electric, petrol or diesel car? There is no simple answer, but we can break it down.
Electric vehicles are currently significantly more expensive to buy, but their operating costs are much lower than their diesel or petrol counterparts. A reliable older electric vehicle has an initial cost of over 20.8 thousand Euros while a reliable diesel fuelled car operating for seven years will cost less than half of that. With an older electric vehicle the batteries pose a relatively large risk over time, whose replacement or repair means a doubled price.
A similar comparison can be made between diesel over petrol - for which there is a smaller difference in initial price, usually around 20% cheaper for a petrol engine and a lower maintenance cost, but the millage is lower for petrol.
The cost of energy is also important in this cost comparison - the calculator has a set price of 0.36 Euros/kWh, provided that the electric vehicle is charged from solar panels, the energy is almost free, or for around 0.05 Euros/kWh. In which case the cost calculation for an electric vehicle are preferable.
Subsidies also play an important role in some countries. For example in the Netherlands there is a 4000 Euro subsidy on purchase or lease price of a new electric vehicle that has an original value between 12 and 45 thousand Euros and a minimum range of 120 km. However in the Czech Republic, private citizens and companies have no subsidy available, but a non-profit or government department can get around the equivalent of 12.5 thousand Euros in Czech Crowns, which makes electric vehicle more affordable.
The calculator is set for the price of an older car.
Electric vehicles are not the only alternative, still the cheapest option is LPG.
News on the automotive industry, manufacturing and sale of electric vehicles, charging stations
Electric or diesel/petrol questions and answers
Where do the main prices differences between electric and diesel come from?
The purchase price for electric vehicle is more than for a petrol/diesel vehicle. The other cost to take into account is cost of electricity compared to fuel such as diesel or petrol. The most expensive part of operating an electric vehicle after its purchase is eventually having to replace or repair the batteries.
What are countries doing to incentivise electric vehicles?
Countries are providing subsidies fr the purchase or lease of electric vehicles, as well as tax reductions or exemptions and charger incentives. However this differs country to country.
