Short answer
Consumption alone rarely decides. Purchase price and resale value are often larger cost blocks. Mileage and energy prices determine how quickly operating savings recover a price gap.
Important variables
- Purchase and resale values
- Annual mileage
- Real electricity and fuel prices
- Maintenance, tax and charger
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Worked example
At 15,000 km a year, an EV using 19 kWh/100 km needs about 2,850 kWh. At €0.36 that is €1,026. A petrol car using 7.2 l/100 km needs 1,080 litres, or roughly €1,998 at €1.85.
Break-even: What changes the result?
Energy prices matter more with higher mileage. A mileage crossover is shown only when the curves actually intersect in the tested range.
Common mistakes
- Using rated consumption only
- Forgetting charging losses and installation
- Assuming identical resale percentages
- Treating today’s energy price as certain
Terms in this guide
Total cost of ownership (TCO)All decision-relevant costs over the same period, typically depreciation, finance, energy, maintenance, tax and insurance.EV vehicle-tax exemptionTime-limited tax benefit for qualifying pure electric vehicles.EV registration cutoffLatest date by which first registration may qualify for the described benefit.
Sources & assumptions
- RATIOXA — Methodology and formulas (2026-08-17)
Continue learning
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