Fuel vs. EV Savings Calculator

Is Switching to an Electric Vehicle Actually Cheaper?

The running cost of a petrol or diesel car is measured in price per litre, while an electric vehicle's running cost is measured in price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. To compare the two fairly, you need to convert both to a "cost per kilometre" figure. For a petrol car, this is the fuel price divided by your km-per-litre. For an EV, it's the electricity price divided by your km-per-kWh. In most cases, charging an EV at home in Pakistan works out to a fraction of the cost of petrol per kilometre — often 60–80% cheaper to fuel.

That said, EVs typically have a higher upfront purchase price. The real question is whether your monthly savings on fuel will recover that premium over the years you plan to own the vehicle. If you drive 1,500+ km per month, an EV usually pays back its price difference within 4–6 years.

Understanding EV Efficiency: km/L vs. km/kWh

A traditional vehicle's efficiency is described as kilometres per litre (km/L) — how far it can travel on one litre of petrol. An electric vehicle uses kilometres per kilowatt-hour (km/kWh) — how far it can travel on one unit of electricity. Most modern EVs deliver between 5 and 7 km per kWh; compact city EVs may do even better, while large SUVs sit a bit lower. You can usually find the exact figure on the manufacturer's spec sheet or in the car's onboard display, often shown as Wh/km (just divide 1000 by it to get km/kWh).

Key Factors That Impact Your Real-World EV Savings

• •Home charging vs. commercial networks — Charging at home on a domestic tariff (or free from rooftop solar) is dramatically cheaper than public fast chargers, which can cost 2–4× more per kWh.
• •Solar-powered charging — Pairing an EV with home solar can effectively drop your "fuel" cost to near zero during sunny daytime charging windows.
• •Battery degradation over time — EV batteries lose roughly 1–2% capacity per year, meaning range and efficiency slowly drop. Most manufacturers warranty batteries for 8 years / 160,000 km.
• •Local weather impact — Extreme summer heat (and very cold weather) can reduce real-world battery efficiency by 10–25% due to thermal management and AC use.
• •Driving style and terrain — Hilly routes, aggressive acceleration, and highway speeds above 100 km/h all reduce km/kWh, just as they reduce km/L on a petrol car.
• •Maintenance savings — EVs have far fewer moving parts: no oil changes, no spark plugs, less brake wear thanks to regenerative braking. Factor this into your long-term comparison.