Electric vs petrol car: the real cost

Compare the annual running cost of an electric and a combustion car based on your mileage.

Your parameters

km
🔋 Electric car
⛽ Combustion car
Annual savings with the electric car
—
● Annual cost — electric—
● Annual cost — combustion—
Details
Cost per 100 km — electric—
Cost per 100 km — combustion—
Savings over 5 years—
Savings over 10 years—
⚠️ Energy/fuel cost comparison only. Excludes purchase price, maintenance, insurance and depreciation. Home charging is far cheaper than fast chargers.
→ Calculate my electricity cost Estimate your annual and monthly electricity bill.

Electric or combustion: how to compare?

The cost per kilometre is consumption times the energy price. An electric car uses about 15–20 kWh/100 km; at 0.277 CHF/kWh that's ~4–5 CHF/100 km. A combustion car using 6.5 L/100 km at 1.90 CHF/L costs ~12 CHF/100 km — often two to three times more.

This calculator only compares energy. For a full decision, also consider the purchase price (higher for electric), maintenance (usually lower), insurance and resale. Home charging is clearly cheaper than fast chargers.

Detailed calculation method

This comparison covers a single item, but the one that comes back every month: energy. It answers the question "what do 100 km cost me?", not total cost of ownership.

cost / 100 km = consumption per 100 km × energy price
annual cost = mileage ÷ 100 × cost / 100 km

2026 default values: electricity CHF 0.277/kWh (Swiss average, category H4), petrol CHF 1.90/l, diesel CHF 2.10/l.

The tool shows the annual gap, then its cumulative total over 5 and 10 years — that is where the difference speaks. The most decisive parameter is not the car but the price of a kWh where you live: between a municipality at 15 centimes and one at 40, the cost of electric driving varies threefold. Check it with our electricity price calculator.

Limitations and accuracy

This comparison is not a total cost of ownership. It deliberately excludes depreciation (often the largest expense), insurance, servicing, tyres, cantonal vehicle tax and any tolls.

Three factors can shift the result in favour of combustion: public charging, billed at 2 to 3 times the domestic rate on fast chargers; the winter consumption of an electric car, 20 to 30 % higher (heating, cold battery); and mostly motorway use, where the consumption gap narrows. Conversely, solar self-consumption can bring the cost of electric driving down to a few centimes per kilometre.

Frequently asked questions

Does the calculation include public charging?

Not by default: the price suggested is the domestic electricity price. If you often use fast chargers, enter a weighted average price — CHF 0.50 to 0.80/kWh is common on Swiss fast chargers.

Does an electric car consume more in winter?

Yes, typically 20 to 30 % more: cabin heating does not benefit from an engine's waste heat, and a cold battery delivers less energy. For a realistic annual estimate, increase the manufacturer's consumption figure.

Does servicing really make a difference?

An electric car has no oil change, no timing belt, no clutch, and its brakes wear more slowly thanks to regenerative braking. On the other hand tyres wear faster (weight, torque) and any battery work outside warranty is expensive. This item is not included in the calculation.

What about cantonal vehicle tax?

It varies widely between cantons and several grant electric vehicles a discount or a temporary exemption. Check with your cantonal road traffic office: over ten years it can amount to several thousand francs.

Sources and references