Analysis: EVs are now nine times cheaper than petrol or diesel to drive in UK
Claims that electric vehicles are now up to nine times cheaper to drive than petrol or diesel cars in the UK spark strong debate over what “cheaper” really means. Commenters note that low per‑mile costs typically depend on home or off‑peak charging, favourable tax treatment and newer tariffs, while high purchase prices, expensive insurance, rapid depreciation, and costly public charging can erase savings for many drivers. The exchange highlights wider concerns about infrastructure gaps, fairness for people without private parking, and how policy and market changes could reshape the true cost of owning an EV.
Cost per mile and numerical claims
- Many commenters stress that “nine times cheaper” really means “one‑tenth the fuel cost / ~90% cheaper,” and only under certain conditions.
- Several per‑mile examples show large savings when home off‑peak charging is available (e.g., ~3–8p/mi vs ~17–23p/mi for petrol/diesel), but much smaller or negative savings when relying on public rapid chargers.
- Some note the current advantage is driven by high fuel taxes and could narrow as governments seek to replace fuel-tax revenue.
Home vs public charging
- Consensus: economics are strongly in favor of those with a house, off‑street parking, and access to cheap night tariffs (with or without solar).
- Renters, people with street parking, and those relying on public fast chargers often see marginal or worse economics; public DC prices can exceed petrol on a per‑mile basis.
- Tariffs that make EV charging cheap often raise peak household electricity prices, so the total household bill may only break even unless other loads are shifted to off‑peak.
Purchase price, depreciation, and used market
- Some argue EVs (especially Tesla and similar) are more expensive to buy and depreciate faster due to fears about battery life and rapid tech improvement.
- Others counter that newer data show batteries aging more slowly than expected and that many recent EVs are now price‑competitive, with the cheapest new cars in the UK being EVs.
- Debate over used EVs: claims range from “almost no second‑hand market” to reports of strong demand and modest discounts. Depreciation patterns are described as volatile and changing over time.
Insurance, repairs, and maintenance
- UK commenters frequently report substantially higher insurance premiums for EVs, often attributed to expensive repairs, parts shortages, and high performance.
- Others from different countries say EV insurance is similar to ICE for comparable power, suggesting regional variation.
- EV servicing is widely seen as cheaper (fewer moving parts, no oil changes), but crash repairs can lead to write‑offs; modern ICE cars share this issue.
Infrastructure and practicality
- UK charging infrastructure is expanding rapidly, but public prices are high and VAT differences favor home charging.
- Practical barriers: lack of dedicated parking, inability to safely run cables, and specific use cases (e.g., towing heavy trailers off‑road) where suitable EVs don’t yet exist.
Equity and policy
- Several posts frame EV advantages as regressive: homeowners with driveways enjoy subsidies, lower running costs, and perks (e.g., bus lane access), while non‑owners and low‑budget drivers bear higher fuel taxes and cannot switch.
- There is frustration with headline claims that ignore these caveats and with “cheaper to run” being presented without full ownership‑cost context.