Fuel vs EV Cost Calculator

Need to convert distance, volume, energy, or any other units? Use our Unit Converter for instant conversions before calculating your trip cost.

See How Much Your Trip Costs in Petrol vs Electricity

Planning a road trip? Compare the costs of petrol/diesel and electric vehicles with ease. Enter your trip details, and our calculator will provide a breakdown of total costs and CO₂ emissions for both options.

Petrol/Diesel Vehicle
Electric Vehicle

🚗 Driving in the Netherlands? Check our 2025 fuel-vs-electricity price breakdown to see real ANWB fuel prices and public-charger tariffs.

🌱 Curious about emissions? Read EV vs Petrol: CO₂ Savings Explained for full lifecycle numbers and breakeven mileage.

How This Works

The calculator multiplies your distance by the chosen efficiency to get total litres or kWh, then applies the price per unit. We also estimate CO₂ emissions using 2.31 kg per litre of petrol and 0.35 kg per kWh (EU grid average).

Sources: European Commission Weekly Oil Bulletin (NL fuel price); Eurostat EU household electricity prices; Dutch CBS “Average car fuel consumption” dataset.

Last updated 15 Jun 2025

How to Use the Fuel vs EV Cost Calculator

  1. Enter your trip distance in kilometers.
  2. Fill in your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current fuel price.
  3. For electric vehicles, enter energy consumption and electricity price.
  4. Click Calculate to compare total costs and CO₂ emissions for both options.

Tip: Adjust prices and efficiency to match your car and local rates for the most accurate results.

Use Cases

  • Compare monthly commuting costs between gas and EV options.
  • Estimate road-trip fuel budget before booking hotels.
  • Model yearly savings after switching vehicles or energy plans.

Worked Examples

Example 1: 1,200 km/month, car efficiency 6.5 L/100km, fuel at $1.75/L: 78 L × $1.75 = $136.50/month.

Example 2: EV using 17 kWh/100km over 1,200 km at $0.19/kWh: 204 kWh × $0.19 = $38.76/month.

Common Mistakes

  • Mixing mpg and L/100km without converting first.
  • Using ideal efficiency instead of real-world city/highway averages.
  • Ignoring charging losses for EV calculations.

Pro Tips / Expert Tips

  • Use seasonal fuel and electricity averages, not one-day prices.
  • Add maintenance and insurance when doing full cost comparisons.
  • Track cost per 100 km to compare vehicles quickly.

Internal Linking

Explore the Discount Calculator and Loan Payment Calculator. Read EV CO₂ Savings Explained and Fuel vs Electricity Cost for deeper analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How accurate are the CO₂ estimates? These use EU grid and petrol averages; your results may vary by region and driving style.
  • Can I use this for hybrid cars? Yes, enter the fuel and electricity values separately for each leg of your trip.
  • What if I drive in miles? Convert miles to kilometers (1 mile ≈ 1.609 km) before entering your distance.