This calculator compares the running cost of an electric car or scooter with a petrol one, using your own driving distance, fuel price and electricity tariff. It also tells you how long it takes for the fuel savings to cover the higher price of the EV.
How it is calculated
- Petrol cost per km = petrol price ÷ mileage
- EV cost per km = electricity rate ÷ (km per unit) ÷ 0.9, where 0.9 allows for about 10% loss while charging
- Payback = extra price of the EV ÷ yearly saving
Worked example
A car doing 1,000 km a month at 15 km per litre with petrol at ₹105 costs ₹7 per km, or ₹7,000 a month. An electric car that does 7 km per unit, charged at home at ₹8 per unit, costs about ₹1.27 per km, or ₹1,270 a month. That is a saving of roughly ₹68,700 a year. If the EV cost ₹3 lakh more, the difference is recovered in about four and a half years.
Read the full breakdown, including insurance, maintenance and battery life, in our guide to EV vs petrol ownership costs.
Frequently asked questions
What if I mostly use public fast chargers?
Enter the fast charger rate as your electricity price. Public DC chargers often cost two to three times the home tariff, which can cut the saving by more than half.
What is a realistic km per unit for Indian EVs?
Compact electric cars typically deliver 6 to 8 km per unit in real use. Electric scooters deliver 25 to 40 km per unit.