EV vs petrol: cost per mile in the UK
Across the 23 EVs we track, home charging at the July 2026 Ofgem price cap (26.11p/kWh) works out at 5.6p–7.4p per mile (average 6.5p). A 45 mpg petrol car at 145p/litre costs about 14.6p per mile in fuel; on an off-peak EV tariff the average EV drops to 2.4p per mile.
Prices based on the Ofgem price cap of 26.11 p/kWh, effective 1 July 2026.Source: Ofgem
EV average (price cap)
6.5p/mi
across 23 models incl. losses
EV average (Go off-peak)
2.4p/mi
live Octopus Go rate, London example
Petrol at 45 mpg, 145p/L
14.6p/mi
fuel only, worked example
Petrol cost per mile at different pump prices
Pump prices move weekly, so rather than quote one and let it go stale, here is the full matrix — pick the row and column that match your car and your local forecourt. Formula: price per litre × 4.546litres/gallon ÷ mpg.
| Pump price | 35 mpg | 45 mpg | 55 mpg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.30 £/litre | 16.9p/mi | 13.1p/mi | 10.7p/mi |
| 1.45 £/litre | 18.8p/mi | 14.6p/mi | 12.0p/mi |
| 1.60 £/litre | 20.8p/mi | 16.2p/mi | 13.2p/mi |
Fuel cost only — servicing, tax and depreciation differ too, in both directions, and are out of scope here.
Every EV we track vs that 45 mpg petrol car
| Model | EV p/mile (price cap) | Petrol equivalent, 145p/L | EV saving per 10,000 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiat 500e | 5.6p | 14.6p | £905 |
| Tesla Model Y | 5.7p | 14.6p | £894 |
| Polestar 2 | 5.8p | 14.6p | £883 |
| Volkswagen ID.7 | 5.9p | 14.6p | £871 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 6.1p | 14.6p | £859 |
| Peugeot e-208 | 6.1p | 14.6p | £859 |
| Kia EV3 | 6.2p | 14.6p | £847 |
| Vauxhall Corsa Electric | 6.2p | 14.6p | £847 |
| Renault Megane E-Tech | 6.3p | 14.6p | £834 |
| Tesla Model 3 | 6.5p | 14.6p | £820 |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | 6.5p | 14.6p | £820 |
| Skoda Enyaq | 6.6p | 14.6p | £805 |
| Volvo EX30 | 6.6p | 14.6p | £805 |
| Cupra Born | 6.6p | 14.6p | £805 |
| Kia Niro EV | 6.7p | 14.6p | £790 |
| Kia EV6 | 6.7p | 14.6p | £790 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 6.9p | 14.6p | £775 |
| Nissan Leaf | 6.9p | 14.6p | £775 |
| MG MG4 EV | 6.9p | 14.6p | £775 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 6.9p | 14.6p | £775 |
| BYD Atto 3 | 6.9p | 14.6p | £775 |
| Smart #1 | 7.1p | 14.6p | £758 |
| MG ZS EV | 7.4p | 14.6p | £723 |
EV figures at the July 2026 Ofgem price cap including ~12% charging losses. Off-peak EV tariffs roughly halve the EV column — petrol has no off-peak.
The honest caveats
Charge mainly at public rapid chargers and the EV advantage shrinks or disappears — rapid charging often costs more per mile than petrol. The comparison above is a home chargingcomparison, which is how most EV owners run most miles. And a frugal diesel at 60+ mpg beats the worst-case EV-on-standard-rate numbers — the spread matters, which is why we show it rather than a single cherry-picked figure.