EVs are now nine times cheaper to run than petrol or diesel cars in the UK, analysis finds
Fuel prices have jumped more than 30% since February, while off-peak home charging costs about 2.3 pence per mile.
Driving an electric vehicle (EV) in the United Kingdom now costs as little as one-ninth as much as driving a petrol or diesel car, after a surge in fuel prices, according to an analysis by Carbon Brief.
Average diesel prices have risen 38% since February to £1.96 a liter, and petrol 31% to £1.72, as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel amid conflict in the Middle East. That puts running costs at about 21 pence per mile for diesel and 20.1 pence for petrol, based on government figures.
An EV charged on an off-peak home tariff costs about 2.3 pence per mile. Even at the standard household price cap, it costs around 7 pence per mile, about a third of the cost of a petrol or diesel car. The government estimates that about 90% of EV charging takes place at home.
Petrol cars still make up 55% of the roughly 35 million cars on U.K. roads, while fully electric cars account for 6%. But battery EVs made up about 30% of new car sales in August, up from 26.5% a year earlier, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The analysis estimates that EV drivers now save about £1,200 a year on fuel compared with petrol drivers. A planned pay-per-mile tax of 3 pence on EVs from April 2028 would not erase that advantage.
This brief is based on an analysis by Carbon Brief staff, published Sept. 24, 2026. Read the original: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-evs-are-now-nine-times-cheaper-than-petrol-or-diesel-to-drive-in-the-uk
This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication.
