When considering upgrading from an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle to a new EV, there are several factors to take into account. One major consideration for many is the charging cost compared to the expenses of refuelling a car with petrol or diesel.
Even as electricity prices rise and petrol and diesel costs fall, traditional fuel prices would need to drop substantially before they could compete with the everyday affordability of EV charging. In many cases, EVs continue to benefit from significant savings on the cost of fuel. Charging a medium-sized electric car at home can cost less than half the price of filling up an equivalent petrol vehicle.
In 2026, charging at home costs average 8p per mile while a diesel or petrol vehicle can cost around 13p to 17p per mile to fuel. Some suppliers continue to offer tariffs enabling drivers to charge their EVs at under 3p per mile (EDF Energy, GoElectric Overnight with Pod Point = 8.49p per kWh | Good Energy EV Tarrif 6.6p per kWh) .
On average, Zapmap charging data shows that the cost of charging an EV on the public network is roughly equivalent to fuelling an equivalent petrol car.
How to calculate Pence Per mile?
The easiest way to compare fuel costs is to look at the pence per mile of EVs and ICE vehicles. To work out how much charging / fueling your vehicle costs use the formulas below
| EVs | ICE Vehicles |
|
(Electricity rate in pence per kWh ÷ 100) x (Battery Capacity in kWh) ÷ Mileage |
(Price per litre ÷ 100) ÷ (MPG ÷ 0.22) |
How do costs really compare?
Lease Electric have compared three EVs to similar ICE alternatives, showing you how cost of charging VS refuelling with petrol or diesel compares this January.
We have used the following prices:
| EV Charging | Petrol / Diesel |
|
Home Charger Tariff Good Energy EV Tarrif = 6.6p per kWh EDF Energy Go Electric with Pod Point = 8.49p per kWh |
UK Wide Unleaded Price = 134.06p per litre UK Wide Diesel = 142.96p per litre |
| Average Public Charging Tariff Ultra Rapid Charger (150kWh +) = 82.52p per kWh |
UK-wide Unleaded Price - Motorway = 157.31p per litre UK Wide Diesel Motorway = 167.04p per litre |
The figures have been sourced from RAC Fuel Watch and RAC Charge Watch. To find out more about our EV charging partner Pod Point, and the Home Charging Tarriff with EDF Energy, click here. For more information about Good Energy's EV Tarrif, Click Here.
Cost comparisons January 2026:
1. Volkswagen ID.3 and Vollkswagen Polo
We have compared the VW ID.3 with the VW Golf Hatchback, due to their similar dimensions.
|
Volkswagen ID.3 150kW Match Pro S 79kWh 5dr Auto [5 Seats] 350 miles (WLTP Combined) Battery Capacity =82kWh |
Volkswagen Golf Hatch Life 1.5 TSI 115ps 6-Speed Manual 5 Door 52.3mpg (WLTP Combined) |
|
Home Charging Good Energy = 1.5p per mile Home Charging EDF= 1.98p per mile |
Unleaded = 11.65p per mile |
| Public Charging Ultra Rapid Charger (150kWh +) = 19p per mile | Motorway Unleaded= 12.4p per mile |
2. MG S5 Long Range and MG ZS Exclusive
We have compared these vehicles, as the same model is available as either an electric vehicle (EV) or a petrol-fuelled vehicle.
|
MG S5 170kW SE EV Long Range 64kWh 5dr Auto 298 miles (WLTP Combined) Battery Capacity = 64kWh |
MG Z3 Exclusive 1.5 VTI-tech 5-speed Manual 47.0mpg (WLTP Combined) |
|
Home Charging Good Energy =1.4p per mile Home Charging EDF= 1.8p per mile |
Unleaded = 12.96p per mile |
|
Public Charging Ultra Rapid Charger (150kWh +) = 17p per mile |
Motorway Unleaded= 15.2p per mile |
3. Kia EV9 - Land Rover Ranger Rover Sport
Despite the difference in manufacturers, the comparison between the Kia EV9 and the Land Rover Range Rover Sport was made due to their similarity in size.
|
Kia EV9 282kW GT-Line S 99.8kWh AWD 5dr (7st) Auto 316 miles (WLTP Combined) Battery Capacity =99.8kWh |
Range Rover Sport S D250 39.4mpg (WLTP Combined) |
|
Home Charging Good Energy =2p per mile Home Charging EDF= 2.6p per mile |
Diesel = 16.5p per mile |
| Public Charging Ultra Rapid Charger (150kWh +) = 26p per mile | Motorway Diesel = 19.2p per mile |
How much does this cost over a year?
To help illustrate overall whole-life running costs, we’ve compared annual charging and fuel expenses based on a full year of driving. For simplicity, this example assumes a driver covering 10,000 miles per year.
For most EV drivers, the majority of charging takes place at home. However, occasional longer journeys—such as holidays—may require the use of public rapid chargers, typically found at motorway service stations. In this scenario, we’ve assumed 90% home charging (9,000 miles) and 10% public charging (1,000 miles).
The same annual mileage and assumptions are applied consistently across electric, petrol, and diesel vehicles to ensure a fair comparison.
1. Volkswagen ID.3 and Vollkswagen Polo
We have compared the VW ID.3 with the VW Golf Hatchback, due to their similar dimensions.
|
Volkswagen ID.3 150kW Match Pro S 79kWh 5dr Auto [5 Seats] 350 miles (WLTP Combined) Battery Capacity =82kWh |
Volkswagen Golf Hatch Life 1.5 TSI 115ps 6-Speed Manual 5 Door 52.3mpg (WLTP Combined) |
|
Home Charging Good Energy = £135 |
Unleaded = £1048.50 |
|
Public Charging Ultra Rapid Charger (150kWh +) = £190 |
Motorway Unleaded= £124 |
|
10,000 miles = £325 |
10,000 miles = £1172.50 |
2. MG S5 Long Range and MG ZS Exclusive
We have compared these vehicles, as the same model is available as either an electric vehicle (EV) or a petrol-fuelled vehicle.
|
MG S5 170kW SE EV Long Range 64kWh 5dr Auto 298 miles (WLTP Combined) Battery Capacity = 64kWh |
MG Z3 Exclusive 1.5 VTI-tech 5-speed Manual 47.0mpg (WLTP Combined) |
|
Home Charging Good Energy = £126 |
Unleaded = £1166.40 |
|
Public Charging Ultra Rapid Charger (150kWh +) = £170 |
Motorway Unleaded= £150 |
|
10,000 miles £296 |
10,000 miles = £1316.4 |
3. Kia EV9 - Land Rover Ranger Rover Sport
Despite the difference in manufacturers, the comparison between the Kia EV9 and the Land Rover Range Rover Sport was made due to their similarity in size.
|
Kia EV9 282kW GT-Line S 99.8kWh AWD 5dr (7st) Auto 316 miles (WLTP Combined) Battery Capacity =99.8kWh |
Range Rover Sport S D250 39.4mpg (WLTP Combined) |
|
Home Charging Good Energy = £180 |
Diesel = £1485.00 |
| Public Charging Ultra Rapid Charger (150kWh +) = £260 | Motorway Diesel = £192 |
| 10,000 miles = £440 | 10,000 miles= £1677 |
How do prices compare if I can not charge from home?
In the UK, access to off-street parking varies significantly depending on location. In some urban areas, up to 60% of households do not have access to off-street parking. While the national average sits at around 32%, this still represents millions of households unable to charge an EV at home.
If workplace charging isn’t available either, this leaves public charging as the primary option, often the most expensive way to charge an electric vehicle. But how does the cost really compare?
In reality, EV drivers without access to home or workplace charging tend to be savvy. They don’t rely solely on rapid chargers at premium prices, instead using a mix of charging options to keep costs as low as possible.
As an example, we’ve used the Volkswagen ID.3 featured throughout this article to illustrate how a mixed charging strategy could affect annual charging costs for a driver covering 10,000 miles per year.
Our calculations assume a blend of public charging methods, with 60% charged via 7kW public chargers, such as the Pod Points commonly found at Tesco and Lidl, alongside 20% rapid charging and 20% ultra-rapid charging.
|
Volkswagen ID.3 150kW Match Pro S 79kWh 5dr Auto [5 Seats] 350 miles (WLTP Combined) Battery Capacity =82kWh |
|
|
Pod Point - Tesco 7kWh = £0.44 per kWh =10.3p per mile |
6,000 miles = £618 |
|
InstaVolt Rapid Charger - 50kW = £0.89 per kWh = 20p per mile |
2,000 miles = £400 |
|
GRIDSERVE Electric Higway - 180kW = £0.89 per kWh = 20p per mile |
2,000 miles = £400 |
|
10,000 Miles Per Year |
£1418 |
If this driver relied solely on rapid chargers, such as those on the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, the cost to cover 10,000 miles would be around £2,000 per year.
If you're considering switching to an EV, and would like to know more about charging, we have a few EV guides that you might find useful: