EV vs Petrol Cost Calculator
Compare the real ownership cost of an EV and a petrol vehicle using the numbers buyers already know: price, claimed range, mileage, local fuel rates, daily driving, currency and ownership period.
Compare an electric vehicle and a petrol alternative without needing a car database or technical battery specs. Choose a market and currency, enter the prices and headline numbers you already know from ads or dealer quotes, then adjust fuel rates, charging rates, daily distance and ownership period. The calculator estimates real-world EV range, running cost per kilometre, service and insurance differences, subsidy impact, break-even distance and total savings.
Advanced settings
curl -X POST https://api.toolsamurai.com/v1/general-utility/ev-petrol-cost-calculator \ -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_•••••••••••••••" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "vehicle_type": "car_suv", "segment": "mid_suv", "market": "india", "currency": "INR", "ev_onroad_price": 1700000, "petrol_onroad_price": 1200000, "ev_claimed_range_km": 400, "petrol_mileage_kmpl": 15, "daily_distance_km": 40, "driving_pattern": "mixed", "electricity_rate_per_kwh": 7.2, "petrol_price_per_litre": 106.5, "charging_mix": "home", "ownership_years": "5", "real_world_range_factor": 0.78, "public_charging_rate_per_kwh": 18, "home_charger_cost": 15000, "ev_insurance_premium_pct": 12, "ev_service_cost_year": 6000, "petrol_service_cost_year": 18000, "ev_subsidy": 25000 }'
The method behind the numbers
The EV side starts from the vehicle price, subtracts subsidy, adds charger installation, then adds charging, service and insurance over the ownership period. The petrol side starts from the petrol vehicle price and adds fuel, service and insurance over the same years.
For range, the tool applies a real-world correction factor to the claimed range. The default is 78% for mixed driving, so a 412 km claimed range is treated as about 321 km. Behind the scenes it estimates EV energy use from the vehicle segment and claimed range, then converts that into charging cost. The petrol running cost is petrol price per litre divided by mileage in km/L.
Market presets currently cover INR, USD, EUR, GBP, CAD and AUD with editable defaults for India, United States, Europe, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Break-even compares the EV's upfront premium after subsidy and charger cost against per-kilometre running savings plus annual service and insurance differences. It excludes resale value, loan interest and battery replacement because those vary heavily by buyer, finance terms and brand warranty.
See it in practice
A buyer driving 40 km/day, using home charging and keeping the vehicle for 5 years.
- vehicle_type
- car_suv
- segment
- mid_suv
- market
- india
- currency
- INR
- ev_onroad_price
- 1700000
- petrol_onroad_price
- 1200000
- ev_claimed_range_km
- 400
- petrol_mileage_kmpl
- 15
- daily_distance_km
- 40
- electricity_rate_per_kwh
- 7.2
- petrol_price_per_litre
- 106.5
- ownership_years
- 5
A US buyer comparing a mid-size EV and petrol SUV with local energy rates.
- vehicle_type
- car_suv
- segment
- mid_suv
- market
- united_states
- currency
- USD
- ev_onroad_price
- 45000
- petrol_onroad_price
- 35000
- ev_claimed_range_km
- 400
- petrol_mileage_kmpl
- 15
- daily_distance_km
- 40
- electricity_rate_per_kwh
- 0.17
- petrol_price_per_litre
- 0.95
- ownership_years
- 5
A city rider covering 30 km/day with home charging.
- vehicle_type
- scooter_bike
- segment
- scooter
- market
- india
- currency
- INR
- ev_onroad_price
- 120000
- petrol_onroad_price
- 75000
- ev_claimed_range_km
- 120
- petrol_mileage_kmpl
- 50
- daily_distance_km
- 30
- ownership_years
- 5
Frequently asked questions
Why does the calculator ask for price and range instead of car model?
Because buyers already know the quote they received and the advertised range or mileage. Model databases go stale quickly, while price, range and mileage inputs work for new launches, used vehicles, scooters, imported EVs and negotiated prices.
Which currencies are supported?
The tool supports INR, USD, EUR, GBP, CAD and AUD presets. You can still edit every amount, electricity rate, fuel price and subsidy after choosing a market.
What does the real-world range factor mean?
It converts brochure range into a more realistic usable range. A factor of 0.78 means the tool uses 78% of the claimed range. City driving can do better, highway driving can do worse, and the UI lets you edit the value.
Does this include EV subsidy?
Yes. Market presets include a subsidy estimate where common, and the advanced panel lets you overwrite it. Subsidy rules change often, so treat the value as an editable assumption rather than a guarantee.
Does this include resale value?
No. Resale value is deliberately excluded because it depends on battery health, brand, city, warranty transferability and market timing. The result is a cash-cost comparison before resale.
Can I use this for scooters?
Yes. Switch the vehicle type to Scooter / Bike. Defaults change to two-wheeler-style prices, range, mileage, service costs, charger cost and efficiency assumptions.