73 Auto Research
Electric vs Petrol and Diesel: UK Car Ownership Costs Compared
Among the 53 vehicles in 73 Auto's Real Car Cost Examples dataset, the 10 electric vehicles average £5,161/year to own, against £5,845/year for the 40 petrol and diesel vehicles — a difference of £684/year, with electric vehicles cheaper on average in the current dataset. This is a comparison of the specific vehicles 73 Auto has analysed, not a claim about every electric or combustion car sold in the UK.
Published 2026-09-02
Key findings
- The 10 electric vehicles analysed average £5,161/year in total estimated ownership cost; the 40 petrol and diesel vehicles average £5,845/year — a £684/year difference in the current dataset.
- Depreciation makes up a larger share of total cost for the electric vehicles analysed (30.6% of each vehicle's own total, on average) than for the petrol and diesel vehicles (22.9%).
- Fuel / Energy shows the largest average difference between the two groups: £714/year for electric vehicles versus £1,135/year for petrol and diesel vehicles.
- None of the 10 electric vehicles in the current dataset have a VED figure recorded in their source report, so vehicle tax is excluded from this comparison rather than assumed to be zero — see the limitations below.
Total ownership cost by fuel type
Average estimated annual ownership cost, by fuel type, among the vehicles analysed.
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Average annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | 10 | £5,161 |
| Petrol & diesel | 40 | £5,845 |
3 hybrid electric vehicles in the current dataset average £6,928/year, shown separately rather than folded into either group above — too small a sample (3) to average as its own comparison point (see limitations).
Where the cost comes from, category by category
Average annual cost per category, electric vehicles versus petrol and diesel vehicles. A category is only shown if at least one vehicle in each group has a real, source-confirmed value for it — see the VED note below the table.
| Cost category | Electric (avg/yr) | Petrol & diesel (avg/yr) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel / Energy | £714 | £1,135 | £421 |
| Service & MOT | £535 | £854 | £319 |
| Maintenance & Repairs | £257 | £514 | £257 |
| Roadside Assistance | £126 | £134 | £8 |
| Urban Costs (CC / ULEZ / Parking) | £240 | £240 | £0 |
| Tyres | £135 | £135 | £0 |
| Finance / Leasing | £648 | £542 | £106 |
| Insurance | £907 | £701 | £206 |
| Depreciation | £1,599 | £1,375 | £224 |
VED / road tax is not shown above: 10 of 10 electric vehicles and 2 of 40 petrol/diesel vehicles in the current dataset have no VED figure recorded in their source report, so it is excluded rather than treated as a real £0. For the actual current UK VED rules, see electric car tax, EV road tax 2026/27 and UK VED rates 2026/27.
Running costs vs total ownership cost
The comparison above is total estimated ownership cost — it includes depreciation and finance, not just the recurring costs of keeping the car on the road. For what “running cost” means on its own (fuel/energy, tax, insurance, servicing, repairs and tyres, excluding depreciation and finance) and how the two differ, see car running costs and what Total Cost of Ownership means.
Methodology
This comparison covers 53 vehicles from 73 Auto's Real Car Cost Examples dataset: 10 electric, 40 petrol or diesel, and 3 hybrid electric (shown separately, not compared as its own group). Petrol and diesel are combined into one “petrol & diesel” group for this comparison because 73 Auto's dataset does not yet have enough of either fuel type analysed individually against electric vehicles to support three separate headline groups at a meaningful sample size — see Limitations.
Every vehicle in this dataset was calculated under the same ownership scenario: 7,400 miles/year, a 3-year ownership period, on a finance payment basis, with reports generated 21 Jul 2026. Figures are directly comparable across vehicles for that reason. Category averages are computed directly from each vehicle's own category breakdown (see Methodology for how each cost category is modelled), never printed as a fixed figure in any single source report.
Limitations
- Sample size: 10 electric and 40 petrol/diesel vehicles is a modest sample, not a nationally representative one. These are averages of the specific vehicles 73 Auto has analysed, not a claim about every electric or petrol/diesel car sold in the UK.
- VED / road tax is excluded only from the category-by-category table above, for the reason disclosed there. The headline total-cost figures elsewhere on this page are still each vehicle's own full total, including whatever VED treatment its source report used.
- Hybrid electric vehicles (3 in the current dataset) are shown as a single average, not compared category-by-category, because the sample is too small to break down reliably.
- Every vehicle in this comparison uses the same 7,400 miles/year, 3-year, finance-payment scenario. Your own mileage, ownership length and payment method will change your real figure — run your own registration for a personalised result.
- Every figure here is a modelled estimate, not a guaranteed cost, a quotation or financial advice.
Data sources
For which figures behind this comparison are official data (DVLA, DVSA) versus 73 Auto estimates, see Data Sources. This comparison uses the same underlying dataset as 73 Auto's 2026 ownership cost study, grouped by fuel type instead of ranked by cost.
About 73 Auto
73 Auto is a UK-focused Total Cost of Ownership platform. It combines official DVLA and DVSA vehicle data with its own category-by-category cost models to estimate what a specific car is likely to cost to own. This comparison is built entirely from 73 Auto's own published Real Car Cost Examples dataset. Read more on the About page.
Press / citation
Journalists and publishers may cite or reproduce findings from this comparison with attribution and a link to 73auto.com.
Suggested citation: “Source: 73 Auto, Electric vs Petrol and Diesel Ownership Cost Comparison, 2026”
Press contact: Info@73auto.com
The underlying dataset (every vehicle and category figure used above) is available as a CSV: download the dataset (CSV).