EV servicing, maintenance and running costs guide.
One of the benefits of owning and driving an electric vehicle (EV) is that in many regards it could be cheaper to run than a petrol or diesel car. Whether that’s through saving on filling up or lower maintenance costs.
Are electric cars cheaper to run?
In general, yes, EVs are cheaper to run than petrol cars over their lifespan. This is due to a number of factors.
First of all, electricity is significantly cheaper than petrol or diesel per mile driven. Thanks to recent drops in the energy price cap, an electric car now costs roughly £9 less than the average petrol car for every 100 miles driven on a standard home tariff.
Using the average standard electricity rate of 24.7p per kWh, it costs about £7 to drive 100 miles (and under £3 if you use an off-peak overnight EV tariff).In contrast, it costs around £16 to drive 100 miles in the average petrol car (using the May 2026 average petrol cost of £1.57 per litre).
Next up electric car service costs. EVs have a lot fewer moving parts than traditional petrol or diesel cars. This means you’ll need less frequent and generally less expensive maintenance like oil changes, engine tune-ups, and transmission repairs.
Finally, major government incentives can further reduce the overall cost of owning an electric car. In the UK, the newly reintroduced Electric Car Grant currently offers up to £3,750 off the purchase price of qualifying new EVs under £37,000, while company car drivers benefit from ultra-low Benefit in Kind (BiK) tax rates of just 4%
EV salary sacrifice schemes.
EV salary sacrifice schemes are an increasingly popular way for employees to get behind the wheel of a brand-new electric car at a reduced cost. Salary sacrifice schemes work by allowing employees to sacrifice a portion of their gross salary in exchange for a leased EV, which often includes insurance, maintenance, and other benefits.
This reduces income tax and National Insurance contributions and can significantly reduce the overall cost of owning an EV. This makes it an attractive option for both employees looking to get an EV, and employers looking to offer competitive benefits and show their commitment to sustainability.
Electric vehicle charging costs at home.
Unlike petrol or diesel cars, you can charge electric cars at home. This is cheaper than charging your car at public charging stations and means you don’t need to leave home to get your car up and running.
To help keep costs down, some energy providers offer an EV-focused tariff which offers cheaper electricity costs overnight when your car is charging.
If you want to charge your car at home then you can just plug it into the mains, however this means it could take a day or two to charge your electric car. A better option is to install an EV charger. This means you can charge your car faster and use the app to get the benefits of the cheaper overnight charging.
Cost of using an EV public charging network.
You can find public EV chargers at a number of locations, including motorway services, petrol stations, car parks and shopping centres. Public EV chargers are generally more expensive than charging your electric car at home, but can be a useful way to top up your EV if you’re away from home.
The cost of using public EV charging stations depends on a few factors, including the specific network you use, the speed of the charger, and whether you have any subscriptions to the charger network you’re using. Different networks tend to have their own pricing models. In general, slower chargers will be less expensive per kWh than rapid or ultra-rapid chargers.
Some locations such as supermarkets offer free EV charging, so it’s a good idea to have a look around and see what’s available near you.
You can get more information about public charging.
Cost of taxing your electric car.
If you have or had a petrol or diesel car, you’ll know about Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) or “road tax.” For years, electric cars were completely exempt from VED to encourage adoption. However, as of April 2025, those rules changed. Electric vehicles are now required to pay the standard annual rate of road tax, which currently stands at £200 per year.
This cost increases if you buy a premium vehicle. For petrol and diesel cars, a list price over £40,000 triggers an 'Expensive Car Supplement' of £440, meaning a £45,000 petrol car will cost you £640 a year in road tax for five years. Electric cars are also subject to this surcharge, but they benefit from a slightly higher threshold. EV drivers only have to pay the £440 surcharge if the car's initial list price was over £50,000.*
Cost of insuring your electric vehicle.
According to the RAC, electric vehicle insurance costs are generally more than those of petrol or diesel cars.
The main reasons behind this are that EVs are relatively new, and that their specialised parts and repair processes could be more expensive.
As electric cars become more common though, and insurance companies gather more data, prices for insurance are coming down. Now the main factors for insurance are the price and power of the vehicle and the driver’s age and experience, rather than how the vehicle is powered.
Congestion charge and ULEZ is free with an EV.
One of the many benefits of owning an electric car is that you can drive into low-emission zones, which are becoming more and more common in UK cities, without being charged. London’s ULEZ is included in this.
Plus you can also avoid paying the London Congestion charge, very helpful if you drive into London often.
Electric car servicing costs and maintenance.
Electric car service costs are generally lower than service costs for their petrol and diesel counterparts. As electric vehicles have fewer moving parts than petrol and diesel cars, there’s less that needs to be looked after and maintained.
Plus with regenerative braking, there’s less wear and tear on the brakes which means that the brake discs and pads need to be replaced less often.
Some leasing companies and manufacturers will offer maintenance packages which can help you reduce your EV servicing costs even more. Explore our EV charger options to get started on your journey to EV motoring.
Choose an EV charger to suit your needs.
Which is best for your needs? You can choose between the compact dimensions of the Ohme ePod, the tethered convenience of the Ohme Home Pro or the easy RFID sharing of the zappi GLO. Explore all three of these advanced chargers to discover which one suits your life and EV best. Whichever one you go for, you'll benefit from:
Tethered or untethered charger options.
3-year product and 1-year workmanship warranty.
Standard installation.
Wi-Fi or 3G/4G compatibility.
Up to 7.4KW output, depending on your electric vehicle.
Type 2 socket.
Solar charging compatibility.
Dedicated help and support team and online guides.
Want to know more about public chargers?
Planning a long journey in your electric car?
Ready to charge your electric vehicle?
How much does it cost to charge an EV?
Electric cars vs petrol cars.
The legal bit.
- * https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vehicle-tax-for-electric-and-low-emissions-vehicles#:~:text=The%20following%20vehicle%20tax%20rates,standard%20rate%20of%20%C2%A3200.