Is it cheaper to run an electric car?

With electric vehicles (EVs) becoming increasingly popular, you might be thinking about choosing one as your next tuition vehicle. And as a driving instructor, you’ll no doubt be thinking about the running costs involved. Luckily, there are indications that EVs can work out cheaper in the long run. Read on for an electric break down of running an EV vs a petrol car.

Let’s look at the comparative costs of driving a franchise EV versus driving a franchise petrol car.

Are electric vehicles cheaper to run in 2025?

It’s likely that teaching in an EV may work out cheaper over the course of a year (when focussing on fuel and charge costs), as seen in our data below.

Hypothetically speaking, if you were to trade in your medium sized petrol car (category C+) for a medium sized EV (category EV A), while still driving an average of 166 miles a day, 5 days a week (taking 4 weeks off a year for holidays), your total mileage would be 40,000 miles a year.

We can take that figure and use it to calculate¹ the cost of running your new EV annually (See the infographic below). You’ll notice that the weekly franchise fee will be more expensive with an EV – £260 compared to £239 with a petrol car². However, you’d typically be spending around £50 a week to charge the vehicle³, rather than around £120.55 on fuel⁴.

How much will I save on fuel with an electric car?

According to our calculations, teaching in an EV could save you £2,377.93 a year, which breaks down to around £49.55 a week straight into your pocket – not a number to be scoffed at. Read on for some of our top tips on ways to save even more money by driving economically.

Are electric cars good for motorway driving?

Range is one of the most important things to consider when taking an EV out on longer motorway journeys. However, most modern EVs now have single charge ranges of over 220 miles, which should be enough for most short-medium motorway trips. For bigger journeys, you may need to plan ahead and make note of some potential charging points.

When it comes to performance, EVs are right there alongside their petrol/diesel counterparts. They’re quick to accelerate, so you can overtake and maintain consistent speeds. On top of this, EVs usually offer a smooth and quiet driving experience, even on motorways.

The cherry on top of the cake is that you’ll reduce your environmental impact by using an EV for your motorway journeys (as EVs produce no emissions from the exhaust when driving).

What is the most economical way to drive an EV?

To improve your cost savings even further, make sure to follow our top tips for economical EV driving:

• Careful acceleration and braking: Much like with a petrol car, being smooth with your acceleration and braking will mean your battery is using less energy over time. If your EV has regenerative braking – even better, as your car will automatically recapture some of the energy lost while braking, converting it back into useable energy.
• Maintain moderate speeds: On longer journeys, you’ll benefit from maintaining a steady speed, rather than having periods of high acceleration.
• Plan your route: Make use of navigation tools to plan out the path of least resistance (use roads with the least traffic and, if possible, avoid steep inclines)
• Switch on eco mode: If your EV has eco mode, turn it on to reduce battery consumption when driving.
• Avoid heavy loads: Try not to pack the boot full to the brim or carry the maximum number of passengers in your car if you’re trying to be more economical.
• Keep your vehicle well-maintained: With EVs, it’s incredibly important to keep up with your car’s servicing needs. Always make sure the tyres are properly inflated and check for any issues with the tread regularly. This will help to reduce rolling resistance and improve your EV’s efficiency.

What are the other benefits of driving an EV?

It’s not just a matter of cost. There’s a significant environmental benefit.

Your CO2e emissions when driving will be slashed to zero⁵. Of course, electricity suppliers vary in terms of their green credentials. But, according to the Energy Saving Trust⁶, charging your car from the UK National Grid will still result in an overall reduction in CO2 emissions of 66% compared with a petrol car. Ultra low emissions vehicles also produce little or no air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide. This means you’ll be contributing to better air quality, in addition to helping the country towards its 2050 net zero target.

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¹ Tool used to calculate weekly running costs: https://www.hsbc.co.uk/sustainability/electric-vehicles/cost-calculator/ Based off medium size EV vs petrol cars

The calculator uses the following terms:

Medium size petrol car and medium sized EV (Peugeot 308 petrol vs Peugeot e-308)

Annual mileage: 40,000

Electricity price for charging an EV: £0.24 per kWh

Fuel price: £1.40

² £260 is based off CAT EV A - BYD Dolphin on a 24 month term. £239 is based off CAT C+ VW Golf R line 24 month term.

³ Assuming consumption of 32KW, using an off-peak home charger at 24p per kWh.

⁴ Assuming an unleaded petrol cost of 140p per litre, travelling 40,000 miles at 44mpg.

⁵ Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) is a measure of several different greenhouse gases combined.

⁶ energysavingtrust.org.uk/service/switching-electric-vehicles/

Last updated: 02/06/2025 | Author: The AA